Gryffindor Girls
by ReillyJade
Summary: A torn Hermione, a mysterious Ginny, a delusional Lavender, and an insatiable Parvati work their ways through their tangled web of relationship troubles, messy hook-ups, dirty secrets, and true love. Full summary inside! Now COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

_FULL SUMMARY:_ Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil are the Gryffindor Girls: four friends who are trapped in a web of troubled love. Hermione, madly in love with Ron, starts to question her relationship with him when a male friend becomes increasingly appealing. Ginny is keeping her passionate love affair with an enemy a secret. Lavender drives herself crazy when she begins to think her boyfriend, Seamus, is cheating on her. And Parvati is the wild one, hooking up with every guy she can while she tries to ignore her growing feelings for an already taken classmate.

There are A LOT of ships in this story, including Ron/Hermione, Lavender/Seamus, and Luna/Harry, to name a few. Rated M for language and sexual content (definite lime, borderline lemon.) Enjoy! XD

_DISCLAIMER:_ All of the places and characters (except for Professor Flaherty, he's mine XD) in this story belong to the genius Ms. J K Rowling. No profit is being made from this story. It only serves to (hopefully) entertain.

* * *

**_Prologue_**

It had been over a year since Harry Potter defeated Lord Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic. Lucius Malfoy was killed in the fight, and the remaining Death Eaters had been locked up in Azkaban for good. Since then, a brand new sense of liberation was felt within the walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For the first time in years, students no longer lived in constant fear for themselves and their families. Life at the school, along with the rest of the wizarding world, was comfortable and carefree once again.

This newfound freedom was absorbed by the students at the school rather quickly, and four particular girls were no exception. It was barely a month into the latest school year, and they were already getting distracted by gossip and boys while they attempted to do their homework. They were tucked away in a corner of the Gryffindor Common Room, away from the crowd and out of earshot. The books and parchment scattered across the table they surrounded had been abandoned.

"So, tell me, have you shagged Ron yet?" Parvati Patil bluntly asked the brown-haired girl sitting to her left.

Hermione Granger rolled her eyes but couldn't help laughing. "I've told you this countless times. What my boyfriend and I do or don't do isn't anyone's business but ours. End of story. Gosh, you're so persistent."

"What? I'm curious," Parvati said with a grin.

"About what?"

"You know…whether he's any good."

"Parvati! Is it really necessary to talk about my brother like that?" Ginny Weasley, a sixth year and the youngest in the group, exclaimed. "But, if you _must_ know, being fantastic in bed is a Weasley trait. Whether Hermione is willing to vouch for this or not is irrelevant," Ginny said, smirking. Hermione giggled and blushed.

Parvati snorted. "Not _every_ Weasley."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Gin…c'mon, think about it."

"Parvati, don't go there," Lavender Brown, the fourth girl, said quietly.

Ginny's face became red not due to embarrassment, but anger. "Let me guess, this has to do with the fact that I haven't slept with anyone yet? Is it really so wrong to want to save myself for someone I actually care about?"

"No, but…" Parvati paused for a second, then continued. "Ginny, face it. You're gorgeous. You're smart, talented, and fun to be around. Half the guys in school have their eyes on you, and you've already been asked out by a fair few of them. If you're waiting around for a particular guy, forget about him. If he hasn't come after you yet then he isn't worth your time. You're missing out on a lot. Shagging is just so…well, fun!" Parvati turned toward Lavender. "Back me up here, Lav. Fill all of us in on you and your guy."

Lavender, who had been dating Seamus Finnegan since June, sighed. "Sorry, Par, but I'm with Ginny on this one." She turned to Ginny and smiled. "Seamus is the only guy I've ever been with, and to be honest, that's the way I want to keep it. We love each other and it's just wonderful - I wouldn't have it any other way. Just follow your heart, and if that means waiting for that special someone, then so be it. That's what I did and I've never been happier."

Ginny shot a dumbfounded Parvati a triumphant look. "See? Neither of us have to sleep with ever guy in school to be happy. Neither does Hermione. Right, Mione?"

Hermione through her hands up as if to surrender. "I'm not getting involved in this one. Sorry."

"Do you ever get involved in anything?" Parvati replied, scowling. "What's up with all of you? We're _teenagers_, not married ladies. We're supposed to be having fun, not playing it safe. But obviously that's out of the question for you three. One of you thinks your school sweetheart is the one you're going to marry, one hasn't even been laid, and the other refuses to talk about _anything_ that goes on in her relationship…"

"Sorry to interrupt," Hermione chimed in, "but I do tell you three some things."

"Oh, I forgot. We've heard about your walks by the lake and your late night study dates in the common room. My apologies," Parvati said sarcastically.

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Par?" Ginny asked. "Are you mad at us or something?"

"No."

"Then what's the matter?"

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Just forget it."

"Parvati…" Lavender began.

Parvati quickly hushed her best friend and proceeded to speak as if there were no turmoil among the four friends at the moment.

"I don't care how you three choose to waste your spare time, but I've come up with a little plan that's going to keep me occupied for a while."

"Oh? What's that?" asked Lavender.

"Well, there are four prefect boys in our year," she said, smiling in satisfaction. "Why not try to get with all of them?"

"Uhm, I don't think so," Hermione said quickly.

"Huh?"

"Ron is one of the prefects, and there is no way-"

Parvati cut her off. "Relax, Mione. I won't go near your man."

Ginny was clearly annoyed nonetheless. "Parvati, you're being completely ridiculous. This idea is as stupid as the one you had last year about the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team."

"Like you're on to judge," Parvati shot back.

"What? It's true! You played a little game with yourself to get with every guy on that team, and you lost! It didn't work at all and you were sulking for a week! Do you really want to humiliate yourself again?"

"Oh, screw you, Ginny. At least I make an attempt to get out there and have a little fun once in a while. But you? You just hang about waiting for Mr. Perfect to come along and sweep you off your feet. You're all talk and no action, so don't claim that what _I_ want to do is stupid."

Ginny knew when to keep her mouth shut, and this was one of those moments. A fierce argument such as this was typical between Ginny and Parvati. They really were great friends, but both were too opinionated and hot-tempered for their own good at times. It often came in handy to have the level-headed Hermione and Lavender around. It was probably why their little group worked so well; it was balanced, and they all kept each other in check.

Once again dismissing the tension present in the circle, Parvati dived back into discussing her scheme.

"I'll just replace Ron with Harry," she said. "He's done so much for this school that he may as well be a prefect."

Lavender eyed her questioningly. "But Harry's with Luna."

"So what?" Parvati shrugged. "They've been on the rocks for a while now. It won't be a problem."

Hermione shook her head. "You really have no sense of morality, do you?"

Parvati considered her comment for a moment. "If you mean, do I have concern for a few silly, meaningless school relationships being broken due to a little bit of innocent fun, then no, I do not."

"I wouldn't exactly call that innocent," Lavender muttered under her breath.

"Trust me, Par, Harry isn't going to go for it," Ginny said. "He and Luna may have been a bit distant from each other lately, but he's still crazy about her."

Parvati ignored her. "I think I'm going to try for that guy from Ravenclaw first. Anthony Goldstein, right?" She turned toward Hermione, who nodded, acknowledging that she had the correct name. "Then the guy from Hufflepuff. Justin?"

"Ernie," Lavender corrected her, rolling her eyes. "Ernie Macmillan."

Parvati nodded. "Right. Then Harry will come next - I figure that will give him a little more time to break even further away from Luna. And that leaves…"

"Slytherin," Ginny offered. "Draco Malfoy."

"He'll be the hardest to convince, he's so stubborn. Damn Slytherins…" Parvati muttered. "Oh well. A girl has to do what a girl has to do."

"You don't really have to do anything, Par," Lavender said. "Come on, just drop this whole thing."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "Just take it slow for a while. Find someone you really like, and-"

"You know," Parvati snapped, "I really don't need advice from any of you. I'm quite satisfied with my love life, even if you don't agree with it. I'm going to do what I want. Just because you three are content with being prudes instead of going wild and having fun while you can, it doesn't mean I have to do the same." And with that, Parvati got up and stormed up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, forgetting her books on the table. Hermione, Ginny, and Lavender heard the faint sound of a door slamming upstairs.

"Merlin, what's gotten into her?" Hermione asked, bewildered. "I know she was a wild one to begin with, but she's taking things a step too far, don't you think?"

Lavender nodded in agreement. "She's my best friend and I love her, but she's getting out of control. Sleeping with all the prefects? It's insane. What's next, sleeping with a teacher?"

"At this point, I wouldn't put it past her."

Ginny, looking uncomfortable, suddenly stood up. "I'm going to bed. See you both tomorrow."

"You alright, Gin?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, that's all. Good night." Ginny gathered her books and left without another word.

Hermione and Lavender simply stared at the entrance to the stairs that lead to the dormitories, then looked at each other.

"What's going on with those two?" Hermione asked.

Lavender shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. They're both crazy."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay, okay, it's a bit of a cheesy start, I know...forgive me. But it _does_ get better and more intricate, I promise. :)


	2. Dirty Little Secrets

_**Chapter 1 - Dirty Little Secrets**_

Hermione Granger usually wasn't one to let her mind drift in class. She was staring out the window of the Ancient Runes classroom, watching the morning slowly evolve into midday. It was the first Monday of October and the weather was absolutely beautiful. The grounds were covered with leaves that were brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red. A light breeze made them flutter across the fading green grass. From a striking blue, cloudless sky, the sun was shining on the lake, making it sparkle like a diamond.

The lake. The sight of it brought back so many memories to Hermione. It was around this time the previous year that Ron had confessed his feelings for her and asked her to be his girlfriend. They had been sitting beneath a tree next to the lake talking about schoolwork and friends, and he had just sort of blurted out everything, completely out of the blue. It hadn't taken very long for his face to go from it's regular peachy color to the scarlet red it always became whenever he was embarrassed. Hermione had simply smiled and shared all of her feelings for him, telling him how she had felt so strongly about him ever since that time they had spent not speaking to each other in their third year. Then they shared their first kiss, and they'd been inseparable ever since.

Then there was the day a few months prior. It had been unusually warm and sunny for April, so Ron and Hermione had opted to stay at Hogwarts while the rest of the students went to Hogsmeade for the day. They spent the morning using a couple of school broomsticks to fly around the grounds. Then, they had a picnic next to the same tree near the lake by which they first kissed. Afterward, they walked hand-in-hand along a small stream that ran from the lake to a small open area next to a pond in the forest. Completely secluded, one thing led to another, and they both lost their virginity. Hermione remembered how that day, that moment, made her feel complete, whole, special, needed, loved. It was something that she would never forget.

"Alright, that's all for today. Remember, your essays are due at the beginning of class on Wednesday," Professor Flaherty, Hogwarts' newest teacher, announced, alarming Hermione. Now in a slight panic about what she'd missed while daydreaming, Hermione forced her Ancient Runes book into her already overfilled bag and hastily left the classroom.

She reminisced about what Parvati had said the previous evening. _Maybe she was right, _Hermione thought._ Is it really necessary to hide my relationship with Ron from my friends? Maybe I am a bit too reserved. _Lost in thought, she sped around a corner and walked straight into someone so hard she knocked the wind out of herself.

"Merlin, Hermione, you nearly killed me!" laughed Anthony Goldstein. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, thanks," Hermione said, catching her breath. She noticed a pile of books on the ground that weren't hers. "Oh my, I'm so sorry!" She immediately knelt down to retrieve them. Anthony followed suit.

"Relax, it's alright," he said, helping to gather his books. "Is everything okay? You seem rather distraught."

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks," Hermione said, standing up. "It's just with all of this new material for N.E.W.T.s, I have so much studying…"

"Well, you better calm down by Friday. We've got prefect duty, remember? Rather, Head Girl and Head Boy duty is more appropriate now, but it just doesn't sound as good, you know?

"What? Oh, yeah, that. Right. Sorry."

"So, I'll meet you at the library, as usual?" he asked.

"Huh?"

Anthony tilted his head. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Hermione nodded. "I'm okay. Really. I've just got a lot on my mind. I have a free period right now. I was going to the library but maybe I should go lay down."

He nodded. "Yeah, maybe you should. I've got to get to class. See you around!" Anthony walked off, waving.

Hermione waved back. _What has gotten into me?_ she thought. _Maybe I do need a nap._ She looked down the corridor which would lead her toward Gryffindor Tower. She shook her head and went the other way toward the library.

* * *

If Lavender Brown had to pick one bad trait about herself, it would be her impatience. She hated waiting. It was 11:05, and Seamus was supposed to meet her in the Common Room at eleven. They both had a free period and they were going to do some homework together before they went to lunch. _Relax,_ she told herself. _Maybe his last class was kept late._

11:06. She tried to focus on her book. 11:07. Her fingers began tapping on the armrest of her chair. 11:08. She slammed her book shut. _Where IS he?_

Finally, at 11:09, the portrait swung open, and Seamus walked in, out of breath and slightly red in the face. He dropped his bag on the floor and leaned over to kiss Lavender on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to keep you waiting." He fell into the chair across from her.

Lavender forced a smile and nodded. "It's okay. What happened?"

"Snape kept us late. Merlin, I hate that class. Be thankful you dropped it after last year." He said this all very fast. "So, what's on the agenda for today? Transfiguration? Or maybe we should do Charms first?"

Lavender shrugged. "It's up to you. Both essays are due Thursday."

Seamus nodded. "Let's get Transfiguration out of the way, then. It's the longest of the two."

"Alright."

Seamus opened his book and began to recite some things he thought would be useful, but Lavender was only half-listening. She knew he was lying. Seamus's potions class ended at 10:30 - there's no way Professor Snape would have kept the class a half an hour late. A few minutes she would have believed, but that's pushing it. And why the shortness of breath? The red face? He could have been running back to Gryffindor Tower but Lavender wasn't convinced.

_Is he cheating on me?_ she thought. She looked up and caught Seamus's eye. His mouth curved into that smile that melted her heart at the speed of sound. _No, no, Lav, you're just over thinking things. Hanging around Hermione makes you do that. He isn't cheating. He loves me. _Pushing it out of her mind, she focused on her Transfiguration essay.

* * *

The Great Hall was alive with chatter once lunch time rolled around. Ginny Weasley was already at the Gryffindor table with Hermione. Parvati and Lavender hadn't arrived yet, which Ginny didn't mind. She was still rather annoyed with Parvati.

"…so then, he assigned an essay due next class: two rolls of parchment! I hate it when teachers punish the entire class because of one stupid prick," Hermione said. Ginny was only sort-of paying attention to Hermione talk about her Arithmancy class. Her thoughts were focused on a table on the other side of the hall. Her eyes searched for him. _Maybe he isn't here yet_, she thought.

Hermione looked at her. "What are you staring at?"

"What? Nothing," Ginny replied unconvincingly. She could feel Hermione smirking at her.

"Is there some guy I should know about?"

"That better not be my 'Mione talking about other guys. She's mine," said a familiar voice happily. Hermione smiled as Ron dropped into the vacant spot next to her and across from Ginny. Harry wasn't far behind.

"I'm going to have lunch with Luna today. I'll see you all at dinner?" Harry asked.

"See you later," Ginny said as Harry waved and continued walking toward the Ravenclaw table. She turned to Ron. "How are Harry and Luna doing lately, anyway?"

Ron shrugged. "Okay I guess. Harry doesn't say much but they seem to be doing a little better," he said between mouthfuls of potatoes. He chuckled. "Why, are you interested in Harry again?"

Ginny shook her head. "Not in the least," she said. She began to pick at her own lunch as Hermione told her Arithmancy story to Ron, and that's when she saw him walk in. The one she thought about all the time, fantasized about constantly. She tried to be discrete as she watched him walk toward his friends.

His friends. _Her _friends. They were so different; it was the only reason they had to meet in secret. Ginny hated the fact that they couldn't be open about their friendship. Or relationship. She wasn't sure what it was at this point. She envied Harry and Luna for the simple fact that they didn't have to hide their feelings for each other even though they were in different houses. Ginny wanted that kind of freedom.

"You alright, Gin?" Ron asked. "Quit staring off into space. Is there a new guy in the picture I should be aware of?"

"Absolutely not," said a voice rudely. Parvati had finally showed up. She sat next to Ginny. "If there was, she'd have told us by now."

"Here we go…" Hermione mumbled, staring down at her plate. Ron took this comment as it was time to leave because it was girl-talk time. He quickly kissed Hermione before picking up his plate and hastily leaving to join Harry and Luna.

Ginny turned to face Parvati, prepared to retort, but instead looked for a second. Parvati's hair was slightly tousled and her lips were a swollen, dark pink. "What happened to you?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing," she said, attempting to discreetly fix her hair.

"Anthony Goldstein already?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. Side project," Parvati smirked, and Ginny got the hint. "But back to the topic at hand. _Is_ there actually a new guy, Ginny?"

"For Merlin's sake, no! Just drop it, will you?" Ginny whispered harshly.

"Alright, alright, calm down," Parvati said, focusing on her salad. Hermione also remained silent.

Ginny was thankful for some peace because she was tired of Parvati's nagging. She wished Lavender had sat with them, but she had come into the Great Hall a few minutes prior with Seamus and had sat a little farther down the table. Lavender seemed to be the only one of them who could get Parvati to shut her mouth before she aggravated anyone too much.

Taking advantage of the silence, Ginny looked across the Great Hall quickly and caught his eye. She saw his hand reach for his fork. This was how they communicated. If he tapped his fork on the table once, they couldn't meet after dinner that night. If he tapped twice, he was able to meet her at their usual time and place: 5:00 in the Room of Requirement.

She watched him carefully. Two taps. She smiled to herself. Tonight was a go.

* * *

_I hate Herbology_, Parvati thought to herself. _Why did I even sign up for this stupid class?_

The only good thing about Herbology was that both Lavender and Hermione were in it. She enjoyed their company, except for when Hermione was annoyingly giving textbook-style answers to every question Professor Sprout asked. Parvati adored Hermione, but she could get a bit ridiculous with schoolwork sometimes. Harry and Ron were in the class too, which was fine with her. In fact, Herbology was the only class that most seventh years were taking. The only ones that weren't were two Slytherins, one Hufflepuff, and two Gryffindors: Dean Thomas and, to Lavender's dislike, Seamus.

Parvati saw this class as an opportunity to get in touch with Anthony Goldstein, the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect, now Head Boy. As Professor Sprout droned on about the ugly little plants on the table, she let her eyes move over Anthony. He had light brown hair that was a little long. He was tall, broad-shouldered; he could have been a quidditch player if he wasn't so focused on studying, as most Ravenclaws were. He was simply delicious and Parvati couldn't wait to see what was hiding under those robes. Despite his muscular build, he looked so innocent scribbling notes about the plants. Parvati then decided to write down her own notes. Rather, one note. She grabbed a small bit of parchment and quickly wrote:

_Anthony,_

_Let's hang out. We'll have ourselves a little fun. How about Saturday evening, around 8? Meet me in front of the library if you're game._

_- xoxo Parvati_

Grinning, she folded the parchment into a tiny square. Class was over and everyone was gathering their things. She glanced over and she could see Anthony was still wrapping up his notes. _Good_, Parvati thought. _At least I won't have to chase him down the corridors._

"You coming, Par?" Lavender asked. Parvati looked next to her to see that Lavender and Hermione were ready to leave.

"No, I have to have a word with An - Professor Sprout," she replied hastily. "You two go ahead, I'll catch up with you later."

As Lavender and Hermione left, Parvati grabbed her bag and strolled down to where Anthony was still jotting things down. If he noticed that she had approached him, he didn't show it. He remained engrossed in his work.

"You know, if you weren't a guy, I'd think you were Hermione Granger," Parvati laughed.

"Huh?" Anthony looked up, clearly startled. "Oh, it's you," he laughed. He began gathering his things. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking, this class is really giving me a struggle."

"You're in the same house and group of friends as Hermione and you're having trouble in a class? That's unheard of."

"You're telling me. Bye, Professor Sprout!" Parvati said as she and Anthony left the class. "Anyways, I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping me out?"

He grinned. "Well, I'm flattered, but I don't think I'm the best one for the job."

"How d'you figure?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm decent in Herbology, but I'm nowhere near as good as Hermione. That other guy in your house, Neville, is pretty good at it too." Anthony stopped and gave Parvati a strange look when she started giggling. "What?"

"You didn't really think this had anything to do with Herbology, did you?"

"Well, I…"

Parvati continued smirking. "I never said I was having trouble with the subject. I just said I was struggling with the class."

"I'm not following," Anthony said.

Parvati brought her voice down to an almost whisper, which wasn't necessary because there was no one around. She just thought it added to the excitement. "I couldn't care less about Herbology. I'm struggling with the class because you're in it. I can't keep my eyes and thoughts away from you. And believe me when I say that Hermione and Neville aren't really going to help me with that."

Anthony looked shocked - exactly what Parvati was going for. "I…well I suppose…thanks?"

Parvati slipped the note into one of the front pockets of his cloak, which was conveniently located right next to the spot she desired most. She could feel him tense up a bit. Parvati liked that. "Just give it some thought, okay? I'll see you around." She winked at him, then turned away, tossing her hair a bit as she did so. As Parvati walked toward the Gryffindor Tower with a victorious grin on her face, Anthony was too flabbergasted to stop staring at her.

Parvati basked in her glory as she walked through the halls, thinking about what Saturday night would be like. She knew from his reaction that he wouldn't deny her offer. In her opinion it was already set in stone. She was brought out of her daydreaming as a certain redhead crossed her path. It was Ginny, and she looked way too gleeful.

"Ginny?"

Ginny spun around and her face turned almost as red as her hair. "Oh, hi Parvati. You look rather happy. Something happen?"

"Yeah, Anthony Goldstein is a go I think. But I don't think I look as happy as you do. Where're you headed?"

"Nowhere special, I can assure you."

Parvati laughed. "That's bull. C'mon. Who is it?"

"It's no one, okay? Just drop it."

"Okay, fine, but I'm gonna have to tell Ron his little sister's been sneaking around with some guy…" Parvati turned to leave.

"I wouldn't do that, considering I'm keeping a certain secret of yours quiet that I'm sure no one would be very pleased about."

Parvati spun around. "You wouldn't."

Ginny shook her head. "Not if you don't say anything about this. I think this is pretty much even. Fair?"

Parvati nodded. "Okay, fair. But it is someone, yes?"

Ginny couldn't help but let a smile spread across her face as she nodded.

"C'mon, who's the lucky guy? I swear I won't tell anyone."

Ginny rolled her eyes and started walking in the other direction.

"At least tell me what house he's in!"

"Goodnight, Parvati!" Ginny shouted over her shoulder and continuing to walk.

Parvati scowled and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.


	3. Wonders and Wanderers

_**Chapter 2 - Wonders and Wanderers**_

"I still hate the idea of you wandering the halls with an intelligent, athletic-looking guy all night," Ron said as he nuzzled Hermione's neck. It was Friday night already, and they were in Hermione's private bedroom that were given to in September when she was named Head Girl. Tangled in the sheets after almost an hour of passionate love, they finally had some time to chat.

Hermione giggled at Ron's comment. "You have nothing to worry about, I promise. And hey, you don't see me complaining when you have to do your prefect rounds with Padma. She's pretty."

Ron retorted, "But Padma is dating Dean. Anthony is single. There's a difference."

"It's just something I have to do. Besides, think of how great being Head Girl will look on job applications."

"That still doesn't make me like it." Before she could retort, he smiled and covered her mouth in a deep kiss, and she relaxed in his arms. _I would never give this up for anything,_ Hermione thought.

When they broke apart after what seemed like hours later, Ron asked, "Do we have time for a quick one before you leave?"

Hermione sighed. "As appealing as that sounds, no. I can't be late for rounds. It's only one night a week." Catching his discouraged look, she continued, coyly, "But I promise to make it up to you tomorrow?"

"Hmmm, alright, I guess that'll work," Ron replied, grinning. After another kiss, Hermione rolled out of the bed to gather the bits of her uniform that were scattered all over the scarlet rug. Ron remained in the bed and watched her dress.

"You're the sexiest woman I've ever seen," he said bluntly.

Hermione grinned and replied, "Thank you, but I still can't stay."

Ron groaned and forced himself out of bed to get dressed. "Can't blame me for trying, can you?"

"I suppose not. I love you. See you tonight."

"Love you too, 'Mione."

Hermione kissed him one more time before departing for the library to meet Anthony. He was already there when she arrived; his nose was stuck in a book, as always. He looked up just as she was arriving and greeted her with a smile.

"Right on time. You doing any better?"

Hermione sounded almost dreamy when she replied. "Much better. Thanks."

Anthony laughed. "Sure sounds like it. Shall we get going? If you don't mind I'd like to try to finish a bit early tonight. Lots of homework, you see."

"Fine by me. Dungeons first?"

"Sure."

As they began their patrol, Hermione barely listened to Anthony talk about classes. Her mind was elsewhere. It was in her room, in her bed, with Ron's warm, muscular body on top of hers, panting her name in ecstasy. She couldn't wait to get back there.

* * *

_I'm not jealous_, Parvati thought to herself. _Ginny has a special guy now. That's fine. I'm happy for her. Just because I'm the only single one it doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm very happy. Right?_

She was still unconvinced.

Her friends didn't know that she indeed had her heart set on someone, but she could never fess up to that. She was Parvati Patil. She was the girl who preached freedom and not swooning over one person at a time. _It's just a stupid crush, it will go away. You're still you._

At that moment, Lavender crashed into the chair across from her, looking rather distraught. "Can I talk to you about something, er, odd?"

"What?" Parvati said, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah, sure."

"Do you think Seamus loves me?"

Parvati half-sighed, half-laughed because she thought the answer was so blatantly obvious. "That's the stupidest question I've ever heard. Of course he loves you."

"Right. Okay. Good. Okay." Lavender sank into her chair, looking slightly relieved.

Parvati raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

"It's just, do you…do you think that Seamus would ever…no, never mind, it's nothing."

"Spill. Now."

Lavender dropped her voice to a whisper and leaned forward. "Do you think Seamus would ever cheat on me?"

Parvati was silent for a few seconds, as if registering what had just been asked, before bursting into laughter that almost offended Lavender. "Are you mental?" Parvati after she sort-of caught her breath. "You and Seamus have the most stable relationship in the school."

"No way. Ron and Hermione do."

Parvati considered Lavender's response. "Okay, fine. The second most stable. Nonetheless, you two are pretty damn stable."

Lavender groaned. "But still, maybe I'm suffocating him?"

"What on earth would make you think any of this, Lav?" After Lavender explained about Seamus being late for their date earlier that week, Parvati shook her head. "No. I don't think so."

"But his face was all red when he finally showed up, and he was out of breath."

"He could have been running here. He knows how insanely impatient you are."

"That still doesn't explain his excuse."

"Excuse?"

"He said Snape held his class late. The class is supposed to end at 10:30 and he didn't get back until after eleven. Classes can't be held that late. They just can't!"

Parvati looked at her questioningly. "You've been tormenting yourself all week with this, haven't you?"

Lavender nodded. "I can't lose him. I love him." She was trembling and looked absolutely heartbroken. Parvati felt a twinge of sadness for her best friend. Despite how she felt about teenage relationships, she knew that Lavender really did love Seamus.

She sighed. "It does sound strange, Lav, but I really don't think Seamus would do such a thing. You two are happy. I can see that every time you're together. Maybe he's just getting extra help in Potions and doesn't want anyone to know."

"Why wouldn't he tell me something like that, though? I'm his girlfriend!"

"Given, Seamus isn't Hermione, but he is a pretty good student. He's always had decent marks, right? If he's getting extra help, he may be embarrassed about it. He's never needed any all these years so maybe needing help now makes him feel like he's failed himself or something." When Lavender said nothing, Parvati continued. "Look, just talk to him. I'm not going to say he isn't hiding something because clearly he is. So try to get it out of him, gently, of course. Don't nag. I know you can be good at that sometimes."

Finally, Lavender laughed a little. "Yeah, I know. Thanks, Par."

Parvati smiled. "Anytime."

"So, no one in particular you have your eyes on yet?"

Parvati forced herself not to look as a certain someone crossed the common room to the staircase that lead to the boys' dormitories. "Nope. Not at all."

* * *

Ginny was pacing back and forth in front of the wall in an empty corridor. _I need a place for us to meet in secret,_ she repeated in her head. _I need a place for us to meet in secret._ She had been doing this for about five minutes when a giant mahogany door appeared. _Finally. That took forever._

She stepped inside. Ginny was beginning to really like the Room of Requirement. It became more elaborate every time she visited. At first, only a couple of chairs and a table were present. As the visits became more frequent and lasted longer, footrests turned up and the two chairs evolved into a big, comfy couch. Goblets became available for the pumpkin juice and butterbeer that was often brought along. Eventually, a chess board appeared, as did a radio, a deck of cards, some quills and parchment, a hammock, blankets, pillows, and, for some reason Ginny didn't really understand, sets of pajamas.

This was, unfortunately, only her second time here that week. Monday's visit had been quick, as there had been so much homework due the following day. And until today, the week had been beyond hectic. Ginny hated going through three days of the fork tapping only once at lunchtime.

_He's late again,_ Ginny thought. She always arrived early, though. Ginny liked to make sure the room was as comfortable as possible, and she wanted to have enough time to request things that were absent. Today, she felt she needed just a small touch of perfume. Ginny thought of her favorite cherry scent, and a bottle of it appeared on the table beside her. After spraying some lightly on her wrists, she put it back down and it vanished.

At that very moment, the door made a creaking sound, and Ginny smiled. She knew that sound meant the door was appearing on the other side of the wall. Five seconds later, a tall, blond-haired Slytherin boy entered, cursing under his breath as he did so. Draco Malfoy closed the door behind him and turned to look at a smiling Ginny, who was stretched out comfortably on the couch. His grey-blue eyes became filled with passion and love.

"Gin," he said softly as he approached her. "I've missed you."

Ginny loved hearing those words flow from his lips. She rose to meet him. They kissed slowly and gently, tangling their arms around one another's body. When they broke apart, Ginny stared into Draco's eyes, wanting nothing more than to stay in the Room of Requirement with him forever.

"You look beautiful tonight," Draco whispered, never tearing his gaze from her. "Then again, you always look beautiful. Always have."

Ginny felt a slight blush spread across her cheeks. "This week has been torture. I hate not seeing you."

Draco chuckled and kissed her again. "Believe me, I know," he said, as he lead her to the couch. "I'm sorry. I've just been swamped this week."

"Oh, don't worry about it, because so have I," Ginny said as she cuddled up to him underneath his arm. "Why were you swearing when you came in here?"

"Damn door wouldn't show up. It took it's time tonight."

Ginny laughed. "Same for me. It took me ages to get in here."

"Yet, somehow you always manage to get in here before me."

"We're here now. Together. That's all that matters."

"Very true, love," Draco said before lowering his head to kiss her on the cheek. With his free hand, he pulled a bottle from one of the pockets inside his Slytherin robe. "Fancy a butterbeer?"

Ginny grinned and summoned the two goblets that were waiting for them on the table. She sat up as Draco poured the butterbeer. When she took her goblet, she raised it slightly. "To us," she said with a smile.

Draco raised his too. "Forever and always."

They clinked their goblets, and the butterbeer was followed by lots of talking, laughing, and the simple enjoyment of each other's company.

* * *

"So, if I remember correctly, there's a Hogsmeade trip next weekend. Are you planning to go?"

Hermione and Anthony were about halfway through their rounds. So far, the night had gone smoothly. They hadn't seen anyone wandering and, fortunately, there were no run-ins with Peeves.

"I'll probably go," Hermione replied. "Its nice to get away from the books and studying if only for a few hours."

Anthony laughed. "I agree with you there. Anyway, some friends and I are planning on getting together for lunch in the Hog's Head around noon. Would you be interested in joining us?"

"Well, I usually spend the day with Ron and Ginny. Harry and Luna sometimes, too."

"Bring them along if you'd like. The more the merrier."

"It sounds nice, but -" Hermione stopped herself. She didn't want to tell the truth and say that Ron hated Anthony's guts. Not to mention, if Harry and Luna came along, it would certainly be awkward because Anthony and Luna dated briefly the previous year. No, a lie would be better. "We usually spend the day shopping." _Not a total lie,_ Hermione thought. They did actually spend most of their Hogsmeade time in Zonko's and Honeydukes. Well, with the exception of her and Ron occasionally sneaking off to the Shrieking Shack…

"Hey, no problem," Anthony said. "It's not something we need to make reservations for. If you can come, great. If not, maybe next time."

_Wait a second, _Hermione thought.

"Hogsmeade is next Saturday, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I can go! I completely forgot that Ron, Harry, and Ginny all have quidditch practice that day because the first match of the season is the week after." Ron would probably be annoyed with her spending the day in Hogsmeade with another guy, but she deserved to get away from her studies once in a while, with or without him. "I would have more than likely been studying but if your offer still stands…"

"Absolutely. Like I said, noon in the Hog's Head."

"Great. Who else is going?"

"Varies every time, but Ernie Macmillan and myself are the regulars."

"It's like a prefect gathering," Hermione laughed.

"Well, technically that would be a Head-Girl-Head-Boy-and-prefect gathering." Anthony winked at her.

Hermione felt the slightest twitch of discomfort at that wink but brushed it away because she was actually beginning to enjoy Anthony's company. She had never really talked to him much prior to this year but wished she had; it was nice to talk to someone who took schoolwork as seriously as she did and didn't make fun of her for it.

_Just because Ron doesn't like him, that doesn't mean he can't be my friend,_ Hermione told herself.

"So, what do you think about that new guy, Professor Flaherty?" Anthony asked.

Hermione excitedly responded with her thoughts on the new teacher. She never got to talk about him because no one else really cared. From that point, Hermione actually took interest in the conversation at hand. For the first time that night since she started rounds, she put her bedroom thoughts starring Ron on the back burner.

* * *

_And she was worried_, Parvati thought to herself. She was sulking as she watched the lovebirds Lavender and Seamus cuddled up in a single armchair in the corner of the common room. Everything sure looked fine between them.

Watching them made her sick to her stomach, but Parvati couldn't look away no matter how hard she tried. Though she'd never admit it, Parvati had sort-of hoped all of Lavender's suspicions about Seamus were true. She loved Lavender like a sister, but she couldn't stand it when everyone in her life was happy except for her. What she hated more was that she put on a happy act when in reality, she was becoming more depressed and unhappy every day.

Then a few chairs down, the dream team, Harry and Ron, were discussing how "wonderful and gorgeous" their girlfriends were, and how happy they were to "have such special ladies in their lives".

Parvati was so irritated. She decided to go for a walk. If she were to get caught, which she wouldn't, it would be by Hermione, and she knew Hermione wouldn't do anything about it. Everyone in Gryffindor was either in their dormitories or too wrapped up in their conversations - no one even noticed her leave.

As she walked, she began to wonder if it really is worth waiting for someone special. It worked for Hermione, then for Lavender, and now it seems like it has even worked for Ginny. _But the only problem is, _Parvati thought_, the guy you want is already WITH somebody! Waiting for someone even worked for him, for goodness sake! _Oh well. She was already on her I'm-a-happy-swinger streak, so she may as well stick with it so she wouldn't get the "I told you so" remarks.

She had enough guys she could go to for companionship, anyways. And she knew just where to find one. She turned off her negative thoughts, and stopped in the girls' bathroom to check her hair and makeup before continuing on her way. _Screw them. I'm not going to be the only one alone tonight.

* * *

_

After an hour and a half of rounds, Hermione and Anthony arrived back at the entrance to the library.

"So we'll definitely have to get together to work on that Arithmancy assignment soon," Anthony said. "Maybe we can get Terry Boot in on it, too. He's pretty good at that stuff."

"Yes, definitely," Hermione said. "Are you up to anything tomorrow evening? We can work on it then."

"Tomorrow should be…" Anthony stopped. "Tomorrow is Saturday, right?"

"Yes, why? I something going on?"

"Well, I kind of already have…erm, plans…"

Hermione laughed. "No pressure, don't worry about it. We'll figure something out. It isn't due for a while."

Anthony sighed. "Sounds good to me. Well, I have to get going. I know I said I wanted to finish early but I was having such a great time talking with you I lost track of time."

"I'm sorry…"

"No, no, don't apologize. I didn't mean it like that. It was just…nice. I don't really talk to people that often. I guess I'm kind of a loner."

Hermione nodded. "I used to be, with the exception of Ron an Harry. I still kind of am, really. I mean, I hang out with people but I keep everything to myself most of the time. I've gotta work on that."

Anthony chuckled. "Me too. Well, I better head back. Have a good night, Hermione."

"You too," Hermione said as they both turned in the direction of their dormitories. As she walked, she realized that she hadn't had a nice, lengthy conversation like that in quite sometime, not even with Ron. She had really enjoyed rounds for once. That was a good thing…right?

Then she heard it. Footsteps.

_Oh, come on,_ Hermione thought. _There have been no run-ins all night and NOW someone decides to wander the corridors? Just my luck._ She was already preparing herself for a walk up to McGonagall's office to fill out a report when she saw the long, red hair flowing behind the wanderer.

"Ginny?" she said aloud.

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned around. When she saw Hermione, she sighed in relief. "Oh good, you're not Filch or Peeves."

Hermione laughed and walked over to her best friend. "What are you doing out and about?"

"Please don't tell Ron," Ginny said quietly.

"I won't if you tell me what's going on," Hermione said. When Ginny said nothing, Hermione gestured for her to walk. "C'mon, we'll go to my room and talk. You never know who will come barging through around here."

Coincidentally, seconds after they left the corridor, Parvati came storming through on her way to a small room on the fourth floor, completely undetected.

When Hermione and Ginny arrived back in Gryffindor Tower, Ron was the only one left in the common room. He smiled. "Hello love," then he saw his sister, "…and Ginny. What are you doing out?"

"She was out on the quidditch pitch getting in some practice. Don't worry," Hermione said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Heading off to bed?"

"Well, I was waiting for you. I was hoping we could, um, chat," he said with his eyes glowing. He then turned to Ginny. "Why didn't you tell me you were practicing? Harry and I would have gone with you."

"I just felt like going alone tonight," Ginny said.

"And I feel like going to bed. Goodnight, Ron," Hermione said. "Oh, Gin, let me show you that book real quick before you head upstairs. It's in my room."

"Alright. 'Night, Ron," Ginny said to her brother.

The girls left Ron in a bewildered state when they disappeared into Hermione's room.

"Well, I'm going to be hearing about this is the morning, that's for sure," Hermione said.

Ginny sat on the edge of Hermione's bed. "What do you mean?"

"I could tell by the way he was acting he wanted some alone time with me before I went to bed. But this is more important. So, what's going on?"

"Do I really have to tell you? It's a bit…strange."

Hermione smiled. "It's him, isn't it?"

"Who?"

"Draco Malfoy."

Ginny was taken aback. _How did she know? _"Where would you get an idea like that? I would never -"

"Gin, I'm not blind. I see you staring at him in the Great Hall everyday. And I see the way he looks at you. So the only question is: how long?"

"Promise you won't tell Ron? Or anyone, for that matter?"

"Cross my heart."

Ginny smiled. "Since March."

Hermione nearly jumped out of her desk chair. "Merlin, Ginny! That's awesome! Why haven't you said anything?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's in Slytherin, I'm in Gryffindor."

"But the houses aren't like that anymore."

"Technically, no. But the old stereotype is still there. Ron hates him, and so do the rest of my brothers. His dad and my dad loathed each other, and I think my mom is still clinging to hope that I'll end up with Harry eventually. And I won't even touch upon his friends and family. This whole thing is such a mess."

Hermione nodded. "I know, but if you two like each other, then there's no avoiding it. You can't control who you're attracted to. Can I ask something else?"

"Sure."

"I know this may sound a bit overprotective, but I see you as a sister so I feel obliged to ask. You're remembering to use a contraceptive charm every time, right?"

Now it was Ginny's turn to laugh. "Don't worry, we haven't done anything yet."

"Really? So you weren't lying when Parvati asked?"

Ginny shook her head. "Nope. Even if we had, I wouldn't tell her. Just like you."

Hermione titled her head. "Why are you assuming I have something to hide?"

Ginny grinned. "You just asked me about contraceptive charms. Only a person who is using them would ask that."

Hermione blushed.

"Ha! I knew it!" exclaimed Ginny. "Not that I really _want_ to know what my brother is up to in that sense…"

Hermione shook her head, still blushing. "I think it's time for you to go now."

Ginny got up to leave. "You're probably right. I can only 'look at a book' for so long, right?"

Hermione laughed, "Good night, Gin."

"Night."

After Ginny was gone, Hermione changed into some pajamas and curled up into bed. _Wow, Ginny and Draco. This will take some getting used to,_ Hermione thought. She read a little bit of a textbook before drifting off to sleep.

And why her dreams immediately went to Anthony Goldstein was something she'd wonder about for quite some time the next morning.


	4. Lost in Thought

**Chapter 3 - Lost in Thought  
**

Lavender, who was already having a bad morning, spotted Parvati at the Gryffindor table immediately. She was sitting alone, drinking tea and eating a slice of rye toast while scanning the front page of the Daily Prophet. Lavender stormed over to the seat across from her friend. She whispered, "Where on Earth were you last night?"

"What are you talking about?" Parvati asked, not even raising her head to meet Lavender's glare. "I was there. I just left early this morning."

"Oh, come on, we both know that isn't true. You left sometime last night and never came back. Your bed was made this morning, and you never make your bed. And you're wearing the same clothes as you were yesterday."

Parvati looked up. "No I'm not. It's the school uniform, they all look the same," she responded, clearly getting irritated.

Lavender rolled her eyes. "Another reason I know you're lying. It's Saturday. We don't have to wear uniforms today. Come on, tell me, where were you?"

"Just drop it, will you?"

"Fine. Don't tell me where you were. At least tell me if you saw Seamus wandering about while you were on your little excursion?"

"You still think he's sneaking around on you? He seemed pretty cozy with you in the common room last night," Parvati remarked.

Lavender ignored her comment. "He didn't meet me this morning. And I don't see him here. I doubt he has his little tutoring sessions this early, if he even has any at all."

Parvati slammed down her tea cup, a few drops splashing out and landing on the table. She was really getting tired Lavender complaining about her boyfriend. She should be happy she had someone to complain about in the first place. "I don't _know,_ Lav. Just ask him yourself, will you?"

Lavender threw Parvati a look of disgust. "Listen, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a nag. This is all just driving me berserk. I'll just talk to you later. I'm not very hungry right now."

As Lavender got up to leave, Parvati stopped her. "Wait." Lavender looked at her and Parvati continued, "I saw him leaving Gryffindor Tower early this morning, around seven-thirty. But I don't know where he was going. I didn't follow him. I'm sorry."

Lavender nodded. "Thanks." As she left the Great Hall, she held back tears. She could keep telling herself that everything was fine between her and Seamus, but clearly it wasn't. She had to talk to him.

If she could even find him, that is.

* * *

_They were in the library, in the restricted section. His hand was slowly sliding up her thigh and under her skirt. The other was holding the back of her head, his fingers tangled among her dark brown locks. His lips were gently caressing the curve where her neck met her shoulder. He had her backed into the tallest bookcase, pushing himself against her. Hard. There was a noise that closely resembled knocking._

_She murmured his name. "Anthony…"_

"_Hermione…"_

_That was odd. He sounded like Ron. A lot like Ron._

"_Hermione!" It was getting louder. More knocking. What was that? "Hermione!"_

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly. She was in her bed, and Ron was knocking at her door.

"Hermione! Are you okay?"

She looked sleepily at her bedside clock. It was a little after nine. Hermione sprang from her bed and quickly began getting dressed.

"Yes, Ron, I'm fine!"

"Well, come out, love! Or at least let me in. I want to talk to you."

When she was fully dressed, she opened the door and Ron stepped in.

"What happened to you?" he asked, hugging her. "You had me worried."

"Overslept, evidently," Hermione said, rushing to comb her hair.

He laughed, and grabbed her by the waist. "Stop fretting. You look gorgeous. Now kiss me, my beloved bookworm."

When he brought his lips down to hers, Hermione obliged, but her heart was not in it. She was too bewildered by the dream she had woken from. It was so strange; she had never dreamt like that before, not even about Ron. Hermione faked a smile when he pulled away and looked at her.

Ron grinned. "I love you so damn much. Now come down to the quidditch pitch with me. Watch me and Ginny beat down Harry and Dean in some two-on-two."

Hermione nodded and followed, her hand held tightly in his as he pulled her along. But she felt strange. _It's just that stupid dream, _she thought. _You'll forget about it soon enough._

She didn't.

* * *

Ginny, Dean, and Harry were flying around the quidditch pitch tossing the quaffle around. A few classmates were scattered among the stands but no one was really paying attention to what was going on in the pitch. It was a magnificent day; everyone probably just wanted to enjoy the impeccably clear sky and fresh, crisp, early autumn air.

"Where is your git of a brother, Gin?" Harry asking, chuckling a bit. "He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago."

Ginny ignored him. She seemed to be in a trance as she flew in a figure-eight, never breaking it. She had an odd look plastered to her face, which consisted of a goofy smile and glazed eyes. Harry could not decipher exactly what she was thinking.

"Gin?" He asked again. He was about to toss the quaffle in her direction when she spotted him.

"What?"

"I said, whe-"

Dean cut Harry off, pointing to the grassy hilltop outside of the quidditch pitch. "He's coming now."

Ginny saw her brother in the distance, his vibrant red hair clashing horribly with the blue sky. Hermione was in tow. Before entering the quidditch pitch, he gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek before mounting his broom and zooming upward to join her, Harry, and Dean. Hermione sat alone in the stands. Ginny had to laugh when she saw that Hermione had brought a book with her.

"Did you get lost, mate?" Harry laughed. "We've been waiting for you for ages."

"Yeah, yeah, Hermione already gave me the lecture on the way down here. Can we just play?"

Ginny and Ron were about to fly over to the opposite side of the pitch when they heard a voice from down below.

"You got room for one more?" It was Seamus Finnegan. He grabbed one of the school broomsticks that was propped up against the wall near the players' entrance. He flew upward to the group.

"Well, it's two on two, Seamus," Ron said.

Harry piped up. "No, this is good. Seamus, how about you not be on either team and just serve as keeper?"

Seamus smiled. "Sounds good to me. As long as I have an excuse to get away from the common room. A break from the books is long overdue."

Dean spoke up. "Weren't you gonna be spending some time with - ?"

Seamus shook his head, cutting him off. "We were going to, but she was going to hang out with some friends today."

"Alright, alright, enough of this. Let's play," Ron said, flying to his and Ginny's side of the pitch. When Ginny did not follow, he yelled to her. "Ginny, come on! You are still my teammate, right?"

Ginny, who had been hovering over the center of the pitch, looked up, startled. "What? Oh, sorry!" She zoomed over to her brother.

"You okay today, Gin? You seem to be in another world." He laughed. "You better get focused, little sis!"

It took Ginny a great effort to shake the thoughts of Draco from her mind. She'd be meeting him tonight, anyway. "You're right. Now let's kick some arse!"

As Ginny and the four boys played their game, none of them noticed Hermione leave the stands.

* * *

He wasn't in the common room or the library. Not in the Great Hall. Not in the hospital wing. Neville said he wasn't in the boys' dormitories. None of the teachers she asked had seen him. Where else could he possibly be?

Lavender had given up her search for Seamus, which left her to sit alone in her dormitory with nothing but the thoughts that plagued her. _Who's he been sneaking off with? Is he going to break up with me? Did he get another girl pregnant? Is it even a girl he's been seeing? Is it a guy? Does he even love me anymore? Am I just being paranoid?_

Lavender really wanted to assume it was just that: paranoia. But her heart did not believe it. She had already thought twice about sneaking up to Seamus's dormitory and having a look around, but she mentally smacked herself. She did not want to stoop that low.

_Maybe it wouldn't hurt to take just a quick peek,_ Lavender thought. Before she could change her mind again, she exited her dormitory, descended the girls' staircase and hastily climbed the boys' staircase, silently praying there had been no one in the common room to see her.

She had only been up here a few times, and she had always been with Seamus so she never thought to remember which room he stayed in. At the end of the hall, she came across the door labeled _Seventh Years_ and cracked it open just to peek inside. When she saw no one, she entered the room and locked the door behind her. Seamus's section of the room was easy to spot - it was the messiest. Well, second messiest; the messiest had Chudley Cannons posters hanging above it, making it unmistakably Ron's.

Lavender found nothing out of the ordinary, much less anything to indicate he was cheating on her. She knew she should be happy, yet somehow she still felt disappointed that she had no closure on either the good or the bad. All that was in his trunk at the end of the bed were his school uniforms, regular clothes, a few letters from home, old schoolbooks, and his class schedule that was given to him on September 1st. He had a picture of the two of them, which was from when she visited him in Ireland over the summer, on his nightstand next to his Potions book.

Potions. _That's the class he showed up late from,_ Lavender thought. Anxiously, she picked up the book and flipped through it, searching for a clue. When a small piece of parchment fell from it, she picked it up and unfolded it, nervous as to what she might read. She was confused when she read it's contents, which was scribbled in a handwriting that she did not recognize.

_Meetings__  
Monday and Wednesday, 10:30__  
Thursday, 3:00  
Saturday, 6:00_

Lavender tucked the parchment back into Seamus's Potions book and carefully placed it back in it's spot on the nightstand. Meetings. That didn't really give her much to go by. Meetings could be for anything. He could be in a study group, or he could be, as Parvati suggested, getting extra help from a teacher. Professor Snape had not been one of the teachers Lavender spoke with that morning - perhaps he was tutoring Seamus.

_Or Seamus is hooking up with some other girl,_ Lavender silently told herself.

She quickly shoved that thought out of her mind. The fact that this "meeting schedule" was in the Potions book made her consider that Parvati maybe had a point. Perhaps he was getting extra help and was too embarrassed to tell her about it. Content with that idea, she turned to leave the room.

But then she quickly changed her mind. She went back to the nightstand and took the schedule from the book again. Then she summoned a blank piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink from a nearby desk and made a copy for herself.

Just in case.

* * *

It was close to dinnertime, and Hermione found herself in the library, exactly where she told herself she wouldn't spend the beautiful autumn day. But in her defense, she was not studying. She was not reading or doing any homework. She was actually curled up in one of the big, comfy armchairs, thinking. Just thinking.

She couldn't get that stupid dream out of her head. Nor could she ignore the fact that she didn't want to be around Ron today. Ron, the man she was supposed to love, the one she DID love. And she kept thinking about what Anthony had said. He had plans tonight. What plans?

_Why do I even CARE?_ Hermione thought, scolding herself. _He isn't your boyfriend. Ron is. You love Ron. Anthony is just a friend. A handsome, sweet, charming friend…oh, shut up, will you? _

Then it hit her. Parvati. Hadn't she said she was going to go for Anthony first? That must be it. If Anthony wasn't in class or in Hogsmeade, he was studying. He said it himself that he was a loner. What other plans could he possibly have?

She tormented herself with thoughts about Ron and Anthony all the way down to the Great Hall. When she took her seat next to Harry, she noticed that Ginny was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't with Lavender, who was sitting with Seamus and Dean a few seats down. She wasn't with Parvati, either, who joined Hermione at the table shortly after her own arrival. Hermione had been hoping to see Ginny - she needed someone to talk to about this weird dream.

Then, Hermione glanced over at the Slytherin table. She let a small smile appear on her face when she noticed that Draco Malfoy had also opted to skip dinner.

* * *

Ginny cuddled up with Draco, kissing him slowly on the big couch in the Room of Requirement. She was feeling so many things at once. This warm, tingling sensation in her core was new and unfamiliar, but she liked it. She wanted Draco to touch her, feel her, and she wanted to do the same to him. She whimpered when he pulled his lips away from hers.

"Ginny, I - I need to say something," he whispered.

Ginny nodded, not sure whether to be excited or concerned.

Draco sat up little bit, taking Ginny's hands in his. "This is difficult to say so bear with me. Ever since…," he swallowed, "…ever since my father died, I've felt this extremely empty feeling. I know he wasn't the greatest bloke in the world, and I didn't really agree with him on anything, but he was still my dad. It's been really hard."

"I know," Ginny said. "I can't even imagine-"

"Wait, please let me finish or I may never have the guts to," he said. "It still hurts a lot sometimes, the loss of my dad, but I want you to know that you've helped that pain heal somewhat. You've brought light back into my life, Gin. I can never thank you enough for that. I'm the son of a former Death Eater, and ever since that fight at the Ministry, everyone has treated me like I was there, like I was fighting alongside my father and the others. People treat me like a Death Eater even though I'm not, and you're the only one who has seen that. You had faith in me and believed that I never was and never will be on their side. These past few months getting to know you and spending time with you has made me feel whole again, and for that, you are my best friend."

Ginny had tears welling up in her eyes that she was trying desperately to hold back. She never thought she could have that kind of an impact on anyone. And she never anticipated the words that escaped his lips next.

"I love you, Ginny."

She couldn't believe it. He loved her? Really loved her?

"Draco, I-"

He stopped her. "It's okay if you don't feel that same way. I just wanted you to know how I felt. You deserved to know."

Ginny shook her head, laughing. "No, no, it's not that. I do! I love you, Draco!"

"You…you love me?" he whispered.

"Yes, of course I do!" And with that, she pulled him in for a fierce, deep kiss. He obliged, tangling his fingers into her hair. She was rubbing his chest and neck, taking in the outline of his chiseled muscles. The kiss became deeper and more passionate. Ginny could feel herself leaning backward against the armrest of the couch. Draco shifted so he could lean against her. The feeling of him pressed up against her so intimately brought Ginny to a whole new level of arousal. She was startled when she heard a _pop!_ behind her. She broke the kiss and turned to face the noise. There was now a large bed in the room, covered with an abundance of pillows and a white blanket.

She raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. His face had turned a slight shade of pink.

"I - I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen," he whispered, clearly embarrassed.

"You were thinking about a bed?" Ginny giggled.

"Well, I was - you know, just, you, and me, and - ugh, I just love you. Forget about it. I'll make it go away."

Ginny shook her head. She looked at him in the eyes and whispered, "I'm ready."

Draco looked shocked. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm ready. I love you and I want this to happen." She sighed. "I may as well be honest with you. I want you to be my first."

He kissed her softly on the lips, then looked into her eyes once more. "Are you sure? We don't have to do this."

Ginny laughed. "Don't try to back out now. You're the reason the bed is here in the first place."

Draco had to smile. "Point taken." He got up from the couch, then swooped her up into his arms. He softly kissed her as he carried her to the bed, then gently laid her down. He laid down next to her, kissing her more, feeling her, making her moan into his mouth.

Ginny had never felt so sure about anything in her life. She was ready for this. Her heart was overflowing with love for Draco. She removed his clothes slowly, as he did with hers. She took in the sight of his beautiful body. Everything about him was perfect, just as she imagined it would be. When he was clothed, he appeared scrawny, but he was certainly toned and it showed in all the right places.

She leaned back on the bed, looking up at him. "I love you," she said.

"Ginny, I love you too. So much." He positioned himself above her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she breathed.

It happened the way Ginny always imagined it would. It was with someone special, someone she cared for. The timing was perfect. Ginny never thought someone could love her so much. That _she_ could love someone so much. She had never felt so complete, and it was a moment that would stay in her memory forever.

* * *

It was about ten minutes to eight when Parvati was making her way to the library. All day, she had wondered about whether Anthony would end up meeting her. She couldn't help but notice how much he focused on Hermione lately; perhaps he was smitten with her. _Oh hogwash,_ she thought to herself. _Hermione's taken. He'll show up._

And of course she was correct. Why wouldn't he have shown up, anyway? Despite how often he kept to himself, she was sure he had heard of how crazy she could be in bed. Most of the boys in their year had. Parvati never used to take any shame in this fact, yet lately she'd been wondering about it, thanks to Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny. They didn't lead their lives like she did, yet they were the happy ones. It made Parvati sick with envy.

_Well, he's already here_, Parvati thought. _No sense in backing out now. _

"Hey, handsome," she said with a little smirk as she approached him.

He smiled that sexy smile of his. "Hey. Where are we headed?"

"Follow me," she said, flipping her hair slightly as she turned around, beckoning him to follow. Parvati had no idea where she was headed, actually. But as they approached the trophy room, it seemed like a good place. When they walked in, it was obvious that it was. It was dimly lit by a few candles on the walls and it could be locked from the inside.

"Nobody will find us in here," she said, grinning. "Come on. Let's play."

And play they did.

* * *

"So, no Hermione tonight?" Seamus asked Ron. The two of them and Harry were gathered in the common room. Neville had gone to bed, and Dean was spending time with Padma.

"Nah. She said she had some things to work on. How about you, Harry? How have you and Luna been lately?"

Harry smiled. "Much better than we were a month ago. I'm glad things have begun to work out. I really care about her."

"Oh, puke. I think we better head up to bed before the sappy stuff starts rolling," Seamus said with a laugh. Ron and Harry chuckled.

As the three of them stood up, Lavender approached them. "Seamus, can I talk to you before you head upstairs?"

"Sure thing, love," he said. He turned to his friends. "You guys go on. I'll be up in a minute or two."

As Ron and Harry left, Lavender and Seamus sat down on the couch. She inhaled deeply.

"I didn't want to say anything at dinner," she began, "but I was really worried about you today. Where were you?"

"I'm sorry, love. I was down at the pitch playing quidditch with Ginny and some of the guys. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Oh. I just thought we were going spend the day together."

"Well, I thought so too, but didn't you mention shopping in Hogsmeade with Parvati?"

"That's _next_ Saturday, Seamus."

Seamus kissed her on the cheek. "My mistake, love. I'm sorry."

Then, Dean came into view with a goofy smile on his face, clearly stating that he'd had a good night. "You two are up rather late," he commented.

Lavender faked a smile and nodded. "I was just heading up to bed myself." She kissed Seamus before getting up. "Good night, both of you. See you tomorrow." She then headed for the girls' staircase.

When she was out of sight, Dean shot Seamus a look and whispered, "Nice save, but what in the name of Merlin were you thinking?"

"You heard all of that?"

"Sure did, and I'm justified in saying you're a complete git. If you're going to ditch your girlfriend for other plans, you can't just not say anything! You have to give some advance warning. What would have happened if your 'other plans' hadn't been canceled and she caught you? You would have been screwed!"

"I know, I know. I can't let her find out. It would ruin everything."

Little did Seamus and Dean know, Lavender had never gone upstairs. She had sat on the first couple of steps of the girls' staircase, listening to what they discussed. A silent tear rolled down her cheek before she headed up to her dormitory to cry herself to sleep.

* * *

**Author's note:** Thanks to all who reviewed. This is my first story on this site and I'm humbled by the positive feedback I've received. I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Chapter four is in the works and should be up in about a week, give or take. Again, thank you all! XD


	5. Only Time Will Tell

_**Chapter 4 - Only Time Will Tell**_

As the breezy, sunny October evolved into a rainy, chilly November, the weather did not reflect Ginny's feelings. Actually, it seemed that as the weather got worse, Ginny became happier. She and Draco made it a point to make their visits to the Room of Requirement more frequent, even if it meant both of them bringing their schoolwork along. At least they were still together. However, it seemed that much of the time they became so overwhelmed with each other that their studies fell victim to more passionate activities.

It amused Ginny that no one became suspicious of her whereabouts many nights during the week. Though Parvati knew she was seeing someone, Hermione was the only one who knew it was Draco and she had, as far as Ginny knew, stayed true to her word to keep it quiet. If Ron thought anything odd or out of the ordinary was going on, he didn't mention it. Lavender seemed to be too wrapped up in Seamus to even notice. None of this bothered Ginny, though. The time wasn't right yet.

This is precisely why what Draco brought up one night took Ginny completely by surprise.

"When do you think we should start telling people about us?" he asked. They were tangled in the sheets of the bed that was now automatically there whenever the two of them went to the Room of Requirement. The room didn't even bother producing the couch anymore.

Ginny sat up, tucking her hair behind her ears and pulling the blanket up to her chin to cover herself. "I - I don't know, Draco. I don't think a lot of people would be very happy with this."

"So?" he asked, sitting up, too. "Why should what they think matter? It's been eight months. I want to be able to hold your hand and walk you to your classes. I want to be able to come join you at your table for lunch, like Harry joins Luna. It just isn't right that we've kept this a secret for so long."

"It's not a total secret…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…Hermione knows."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You told Hermione?" He had begun calling her friends by their first names only after Ginny scolded him about it. She didn't want him identifying her best friends only by their last names, like he used to.

"I didn't tell her, exactly. She just kind of figured it out."

"How long has she known?"

Ginny shrugged. "Not long. A month at the most. And Parvati knows I'm seeing someone, but she doesn't know its you. But that's all," she added quickly, catching Draco's gaze.

Draco nodded. "Okay. Let me ask you this. What was Hermione's reaction when you told her about me?"

"She was happy. She didn't think it was weird at all. Like I said, though, she pretty much figured it out on her own."

Draco smiled. "Well, see? Your best friend thought it was okay. She didn't ridicule you for it, or try to warn you that I was going to hurt you or anything of the sort. Who's to say that everyone else won't react in that very same way?"

Ginny sighed. "I know what you're saying. And really, I do want us to be out in the open. I want the same things as you. It's just Ron that I'm worried about. And the rest of my family. Your family."

Draco laughed. "You don't think I'm concerned about that, too? I'm from a family of Death Eaters, and I'm dating a blood traitor. Our families have hated each other for as long as I can remember, and probably even before that. Ron is the least of my worries. But I still think we should tell people soon." He tilted his head at her, smiling. "And just so you know, Pansy knows, too."

"Pansy Parkinson?"

"Mhm. She, like Hermione, just knew. And you know what? She's okay with it, too. Said I needed someone like you, to get me through all of this."

Ginny couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time since Draco and Pansy dated, and she didn't mind that they were still friends. Pansy was in a similar situation to Draco's, if not worse. Her parents were both Death Eaters, and she wanted nothing to do with the Dark side, though she pretended she did to make them happy. They were both sent to Azkaban after the Ministry fight. At least Draco still had his mother at home. Still, for some reason she didn't understand, Ginny found it comforting that Pansy was okay with the fact that she was dating her ex-boyfriend.

"Are you seeing it now?" Draco asked, smiling. "My ex-girlfriend, who should despise you according to the old house stereotypes, thinks it's great that I'm with you. Those biases really are beginning to fade away, Gin."

"I know, but," Ginny said, "I still want to wait a little longer. I was going to tell them about you over the Christmas holidays. My family, I mean. I don't want to tell them in a letter."

He smiled. "That makes sense to me. And I'll tell my mother, too. But enough of this. Come here, you," he said, pulling Ginny in for a kiss that made all of her worries flutter away.

* * *

_Stop looking at him!_ Hermione silently scolded herself. But she could not help it. In was yet another Monday morning, and eyeing Anthony was much more intriguing than what was going on in Ancient Runes. As Professor Flaherty discussed a message inscribed on a palette found in Sweden a few centuries ago, Hermione simply admired the Head Boy.

Hermione had found herself thinking about Anthony more and more ever since that first night she began to enjoy rounds with him. As they had discussed that night, she had spent the afternoon in Hogsmeade with him that following weekend. And she hated to admit it, but she had a good time. A _really_ good time. Though Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, Terry Boot, and a few others had gathered in the Hog's Head, Hermione spent most of her time sitting with Anthony, enjoying a few drinks and talking about, well, everything. Hermione was even beginning to have fun during rounds now. She looked forward to them, as a matter of fact. She intentionally took detours in the corridors to lengthen her time with Anthony. The two of them were meeting up often to do homework together, and much of the time they ended up simply talking and laughing with each other.

The thing that scared Hermione the most, though, was that this new friendship was giving her doubts in other aspects of her life. Ron was still the one she loved, but sometimes she wanted to be around Anthony instead. She hated it. She could keep telling herself that it was because Anthony was easier to discuss school with, but she knew deep down that wasn't it. It was because he was new, exciting, and completely unexpected.

_Everything Parvati claimed you aren't ,_ Hermione thought to herself.

Hermione would have loved to blame Parvati for all of this; after all, it was her who suggested being spontaneous. But she knew she couldn't. This was all on her. She truly loved Ron and knew she could have a happy life with him…but he was _safe_. Ron had been the object of her affection for nearly five years now. He had been her first and only real crush. It was him who everyone expected Hermione to swoon over for the rest of eternity. And Hermione still wanted that. She wanted that dream life with Ron: the happy marriage, the red-headed bookworm children, and the house with the porch and white picket fence. But there was some small part of her that wanted to be wild, if only once, before she had to settle down for good, and Anthony appeared to be the perfect remedy for that.

She closed her eyes in frustration. Hermione was intelligent in all sorts of areas, but when it came to matters of the heart, she was clueless. It drove her mental.

"Hermione?" Anthony was standing above her. "Aren't you coming?"

"Wh-what?" she said, raising her head, which had been resting on her propped up arm.

He laughed. "You're in another world again, aren't you? Professor Flaherty just dismissed us. You know, I had never thought of you to be the daydreaming type."

"I'm not, really," Hermione said, hastily standing and gathering her materials. She sighed. "I've just got a lot on my mind is all."

Anthony tilted his head to the side, looking genuinely concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Hermione shrugged. "No, not really. But it will be." _Hopefully_, she added silently. She gave him a half-hearted smile.

He returned the favor. "Well, I have another class to get to. But if you need to talk about anything, just let me know, alright?"

She nodded, trying to ignore the fact that her insides were turning to mush. "I will, thanks."

He smiled before he exited the classroom. _Why does he have to be so damn charming?_ She left the class in a hurry, tossing a quick farewell to Professor Flaherty as she walked past his desk. She needed to talk to Ginny. She would understand. Although, considering it involved her brother, Hermione couldn't be too sure.

But when she arrived in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny was not in there as she hoped she would be. Instead, the room's only occupant was a sullen-looking Lavender. She was sitting by the fire, staring into the flames. She was rather pale and appeared quite tired and worn. Hermione took the seat next to her.

"No class today?"

"Skipped."

"You skipped class?" Hermione asked, bewildered. "Why? Are you sick?" When Lavender said nothing, she said, "Come on, I'll walk you down to the hospital." Hermione began to stand up when she noticed Lavender wasn't moving a muscle. Her friend still did not speak. She sat back down. "Is everything okay, Lav?"

It took Lavender a moment to respond. She shook her head. "No," she whispered. It was barely audible. Lavender wouldn't tear her gaze from the fire to even look at Hermione.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Lavender nodded. "I do, but…" She turned toward Hermione now, and Hermione could see tear stains on her friend's beautiful face. "I'm afraid that if I do talk about it, that it'll make it true."

Hermione shook her head, not understanding. "What will be true?"

"Seamus…"

* * *

Parvati was concluding a rather lengthy bubble bath in the prefect's bathroom. She knew she ought not to be in there, but she had company until about fifteen minutes prior. She arrived about an hour ago with Ernie Macmillan, who had been more than happy to allow her access to the place considering the circumstances. Parvati had never done it in a bath before. It was a new and interesting experience, and she'd rather enjoyed it. _And he was magnificent,_ Parvati thought. _Who would have known a Hufflepuff was capable of such talent? _

She had changed the water in the tub after he left. He had a class to get to, but she had opted to stay and relax for a little while. She leaned up against one of the tub's many jets and allowed it to massage her lower back. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the tranquil privacy. She thought about how Anthony and Ernie had been. She had enjoyed being with both, but sometimes she wondered if her time could have been put to better use. Like focusing on that crush of hers that still would not go away. If anything, it was only getting stronger and Parvati couldn't stand it.

Shaking these thoughts away, she stepped out of the tub and dried off with one of the big, fluffy towels on the shelf. Her long, black hair danced around her shoulders and fell down to the middle of her back. She decided to leave it down for a change. Looking at herself in the mirror, she realized she kind of liked it. After casting a quick drying spell on her hair and putting her school robes back on, she left the bathroom as the floor began to dry itself and the tub began to drain.

As she walked down one of the many long corridors, she noticed Harry and Ron up ahead. Being her nosy self, she quietly sped up to walk behind them. She kept her distance, but got just close enough to go unnoticed while hearing what they were discussing.

"It was brilliant," Harry said. "It was right after we won the first match against Slytherin."

"Well, how'd you do it?" Ron asked.

"I didn't really plan it. I just sort of said it, and she felt the same way. She said she loved me, Ron! Luna loves me!"

Ron chuckled, as Parvati rolled her eyes. "I'm happy for you, mate," he said. "Now she'll have to visit us at the Burrow over the holidays."

As the boys turned down another corridor, Parvati leaned up against the wall, taking a deep breath. Evidently, Harry wasn't going to be as easy to get into bed as she had expected. She had planned on his and Luna's relationship getting weaker, and now they're 'in love'? _Looks like a change of plans,_ Parvati thought. _I guess Draco is next._

Satisfied, she went back to her dormitory to freshen up for the evening.

* * *

"Aren't you going to eat anything, Ginny?" Ron asked. It was dinnertime in the Great Hall, and Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were nowhere to be seen. Even some of the teachers were missing. Dumbledore was away at the Ministry, and Hagrid was spending time with Grawp. No one had any idea where Professor Flaherty was.

"I'm not really hungry," Ginny replied, poking at the food on her plate with her fork.

"Well, you're gonna have to get something in you," Harry said cheerfully. "We're gonna get some quidditch practice in tonight. Hermione showed us a way to temporarily transfigure the stands into lights, like the ones at Muggle sports stadiums. Now we can play at night!"

"Sounds great, but I -" she stopped herself, realizing she almost let her biggest secret slip. "- I'm just really tired. I think I'm gonna turn in early. Er, now," she finished, rising from the bench.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, then back at Ginny. "Do you feel alright? Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey," Harry said.

She smiled at them. "Really, I'm fine. Like I said, just tired." Before they could say anything else, she hurried out of the Great Hall and, purely by coincidence, walked straight into Draco in the corridor.

"Wow, where are you running off to in such a rush?" he asked, but not before checking quickly to make sure they were alone. He dropped his voice down to a whisper. "Can I see you tonight?"

She shook her head. "Tempting, but no. I…have homework."

"Is everything okay? You look a bit peaky."

"Yes, I'm fine, I promise. Just a lot to do. I'll see you tomorrow, though." She didn't risk a kiss, but she gave him a smile before she sped off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower, leaving a dumbfounded Draco behind.

* * *

"Lav, you have to talk to him. I know you don't want to, but it has to be done." Hermione and Lavender were still discussing Seamus. However, they had migrated from the common room to Hermione's room for more privacy. Lavender had told Hermione everything on her mind, including the incident in the common room a few weeks prior.

"He lied to me once, Mione. Who's to say he won't do it again?"

Hermione got up from her desk chair (Lavender was sprawled out on the bed, hugging a pillow), and crossed the room to her chest of drawers. "I know, Lav. But you have to try again. You can't keep letting this eat away at you. Chocolate frog?"

_Chocolate frog?_ Lavender looked up at Hermione. She had pulled a box of candy from her top drawer and was prepared to toss one to Lavender.

Catching her friend's inquiring look, Hermione laughed. "Give me a break. We're missing dinner and I'm starved. I have pumpkin pasties, too, if you'd rather those."

Lavender, for the first time that day, smiled. "No, a chocolate frog is fine. Thanks."

Hermione returned to her desk chair, unwrapping a frog as she sat down. "So, be honest with me. What are you so afraid of?"

"What do you mean, afraid?"

"You're afraid to talk to Seamus. If you weren't, you would have done so already. Again, that is. You wouldn't have stopped asking until you had an answer."

Lavender shrugged. "I don't want to lose him. Despite all of the suspicions I have, I'm still head over heels in love with him. I know it's unhealthy but I've tried to stop and I can't. If I nag him, he'll get sick of me and leave me, especially if absolutely nothing is going on. I can't risk that."

"Oh, Lav, I know how you feel. There are some things I'm afraid to talk to Ron about for the same reasons."

"Like what?"

"Well, it's, um…"

"Oh no, you don't think he's cheating on you, too?"

Hermione had to smile at the irony in the statement. _More like the other way around, kinda, _she thought. "No, it's not that."

There was a loud banging on the door. _Saved by the knock. _Hermione pointed her wand at the door and unlocked it. "Come on in." She was relieved to see not Ron, but Ginny come through the door.

"Hi Hermione. Hey, Lav. Do you mind some company?" Before waiting for an answer, she closed the door and sat on the edge of the bed. Noticing Lavender's red, puffy eyes, she scrunched her face in curiosity. "What's going on?"

"Seamus is a git," Lavender replied nonchalantly. She was tired of being sad; she had been sad all day, all month. She was just annoyed with the situation now.

"Is this about him being late for your study date? Please tell me you're not still fussing about that."

Lavender looked over at Ginny. "How did you know about that?"

Ginny shrugged. "Dean told me during quidditch practice once."

"Dean knows too?"

"Evidently. Why, is it a big deal?"

Lavender sat up. "No wonder Seamus has been avoiding me. I'm such an idiot!" She got off the bed. "I have to go talk to him and tell him I'm sorry. I've been so clingy. He wouldn't have complained to his friends if it wasn't bothering him. Thanks for talking with me, Hermione, and I'm sorry for making you miss dinner. But I have to go." She walked toward the door.

"Wait, Lav!" Hermione said. "You're still going to talk to him, right?"

Lavender turned around. "About what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "About everything! The talk he had with Dean in the common room. The broken dates. The secrets…?"

Lavender shook her head. "No. It's all been a misunderstanding. I've just been smothering him, that's all - who _wouldn't_ avoid someone like that? But thanks, both of you. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She left without another word.

Ginny stared at the door for a moment before turning toward Hermione. "What in the name of Merlin was that all about?"

Hermione shook her head. "Lavender and Seamus have just been having problems, so to speak."

"Oh?"

"Long story. What brings you here?"

Ginny laughed. "What? I can't just drop by to say hello to my best friend?"

"Charming, but try again."

"Draco wants to start telling people about us."

It was Hermione's turn to laugh. "That's all?"

"Well, it's kind of a big deal, don't you think?"

"Er, no, not really. I think it's about time."

"I was waiting until Christmastime. It doesn't seem appropriate to tell my family about Draco by owl post," Ginny said. "Ron still doesn't know, does he?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not unless you told him. I haven't told a soul."

"Good, thank you. Speaking of Ron, what's up with you two lately?"

"What do you mean?"

"You both just seem…off. You never talk about him the way you used to. Is everything okay?"

Hermione all of a sudden did not want to talk about what was happening with Anthony, so she forced a nod. "Yes."

Ginny rolled her eyes, smiling. "Yeah, right. I'll get it out of you eventually."

"It's just complicated, that's all."

Ginny tilted her head slightly and said in a sincere voice, "He really does love you, you know."

Hermione nodded. "I know." She tried not to think about that. What if things did escalate between she and Anthony? Would she be happier if she left Ron in that case, even if it meant breaking his heart? _For all I know, Anthony may not even see me in that way,_ she thought. Changing the subject, she asked, "How's Draco?"

Ginny smiled. "He's fine. Great."

"And the two of you?"

"We couldn't be happier. We love each other."

"Why aren't you two together tonight?"

"Oh, he was getting together with friends. We've been seeing each other a lot lately, though, so one night without him isn't going kill me."

Even though Ginny was smiling, Hermione could tell something was going on. But she did not ask. Ginny was kind enough to not pry into what she wasn't ready to discuss. It was only fair that Hermione showed her the same respect. They would tell each other everything eventually. They always did.

* * *

"Heading to bed already, Ginny?" Lavender asked. She was sitting in the common room near the fire as Ginny walked by, heading for the girls' staircase.

"Yes, I'm a bit tired."

"Not with your guy tonight?"

Ginny looked at her, clearly taken aback.

Before she had time to say anything, Lavender jumped in. "You're not in the common room at night anymore. I know something is going on. No, no one told me. I figured it out on my own. And no, I haven't told anyone." She grinned.

Ginny looked taken aback. "Right, well, thanks."

Lavender smiled sincerely. "No problem. Maybe we can talk about the lucky guy sometime? I want to know all about him."

Ginny smiled, but had to wonder if Lavender would still be as kind once she learned it was Draco. "Yes, definitely. Good luck with Seamus."

"Thanks."

"Don't worry. Everything will work itself out," Ginny said before disappearing upstairs.

As if on cue, Seamus walked into the common room with Dean at that very moment. She rose up to meet him.

Dean knew to give them some privacy. "I'll see you upstairs, Seamus. Good night, Lavender." He nodded to both of them before rushing up the stairs two-at-a-time.

"Sit with me for a minute?" Lavender asked.

Seamus nodded. "Okay."

They sat down on the couch, and Lavender couldn't help but notice that Seamus did not cuddle up next to her the way he used to. Instead, a few inches were between the couple and their hands did not touch. Lavender folded her hands into her lap and took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry."

Seamus turned to face her more directly, looking confused. "For what? What happened?"

Lavender sighed. "I'm sorry about how clingy I've been. I know I've been difficult to be around lately. I've been suffocating you, and -"

Seamus held up a hand to stop her. "What is making you say all of this?"

"Isn't it obvious? I've been so paranoid about what you've been doing lately. Where you've been going, who you were spending time with."

"You think I've been cheating on you?" he whispered.

"Well, I…I didn't mean…I suppose…"

Seamus smiled. "Lav, please don't think like that. You don't need to worry. I love you." He sighed. "I didn't mean to worry you, or seem like I've been pushing you aside. I've just had a lot going on lately and I've been taking a lot of time to myself."

Lavender shook her head, smiling slightly. "Why didn't you talk to me? You know I'd listen."

"I know, I know, but…it's just difficult to talk about with you. It's something I'd rather keep to myself for now. I'm sorry."

Lavender nodded. "As long as we're okay."

Seamus nodded and took her hand in his. "Yes, of course we're okay. You know how much you mean to me, love. But right now, I'm just going to need a little space from time to time."

"Okay. I love you, Seamus."

He leaned in to kiss her. "I love you too." He looked down with a grin on his face. He rubbed her hand with his thumb, then looked up into her eyes. "Come with me." And without another word, he pulled her off the couch and headed for the portrait hole, never letting go of her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Trust me," was all he said.

Seamus pulled Lavender through the corridors and up a few flights of stairs. They came to a locked oak door.

"Alohomora," Seamus muttered. It unlocked right away. He opened it with a smile on his face. They were on the top of the astronomy tower. Lavender looked around in awe. She had never been to the very top of the tower, the very top of the school, before. The view was astonishing. The lake glittered beneath them on one side, and on the other side were the tops of the Forbidden Forest trees, which seemed to stretch for miles. Though there was a roof, it was transparent and allowed the view of the night's beauty to hover above them.

She shivered suddenly. "It's quite chilly up here."

Seamus smiled. He took out his wand and muttered a spell Lavender did not know. Suddenly, it felt warm. "Better?" he asked.

"Much," Lavender replied, smiling. Her knees went weak when he leaned in and kissed her. They tangled their arms around each other. The kiss deepened, and Lavender thought she was going to melt in his embrace.

He pulled away suddenly and looked into her eyes. He ran a hand through her hair and let the other rest on her waist. "I've missed you," he whispered.

They kissed again. And again. Lavender hadn't been this elated in weeks. She mentally scolded herself for ever thinking badly about Seamus. How could she think like that when he kissed her and touched her with so much tenderness? If she had remembered these things and hadn't let her worries get the best of her, she never would have been so unhappy. She would never let that happen again.

As Seamus pulled her to the floor, Lavender pushed these thoughts away. She soaked up every ounce of the passion, love, and happiness that moment brought as they made love under the shooting stars.

* * *

Parvati was sitting in the room on the fourth floor she so often visited as she waited for her man of the hour to arrive. This was where they always met. It was rare that anyone ever came down this particular corridor, and at night the chances were even slimmer.

She looked quite simple, but very pretty. She had her hair down, but pushed out of her face with pink barrettes. She wore simple clothing, too: a pair of dark blue jeans and a pink blouse. She did not wear as much make-up as she usually did. Parvati did not feel the need to put a ridiculous amount of effort into her appearance when she saw him. She had been sort-of seeing each other since the beginning of the year (if you could even call it 'seeing'), so in her mind, she had already impressed him.

_Now, if I were in a real relationship, I could be that way all the time,_ she thought to herself.

She heard the door close slightly. He had finally arrived.

"Hello, Parvati. A vision, as always," he said in his usual husky voice.

She smiled. "As are you." She rose up to meet him, kissing him. She stepped back and looked at him. He was taller than she by about seven inches. He had dark, wavy brown hair, some of which fell in front of his brown eyes. He was very handsome, and Parvati was surprised with herself that he had been interested in her.

"How have you been, Ezra? It's been a while since we last met."

"I've been okay. Lots of work to catch up on. And you?"

"The usual. Confused. Frustrated."

He smiled. "Let me guess. The guy?"

Parvati shrugged. "Well, he's off limits, so of course it's difficult."

He laughed. "Aren't I off limits?"

She had to smile. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But it's…different with him. I've never felt this way about someone for such a lengthy period of time. It's weird for me. I'm glad I have you…you know, to help me though it. You understand." She ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face.

He smiled slightly, taking her hand from his hair and squeezing it softly. "I know. Just like I'm glad you're here for me. But we both know this can't last forever. You know I have my lady back at home. Despite what you and I have been doing, I do love her. Not to mention, we don't want to get caught. Again, that is. It's already happened once."

Parvati nodded, laughing a little. "That was Ginny, though, and she hasn't told anyone."

"Yes, I know. But if there is a next time, that person may not exhibit the same understanding and discretion as your friend."

She smiled, appreciating how lucky she was to have Ginny to keep her secret.

"You know we'll have to end this sometime, Parvati."

She nodded, not wanting to think about that. She reached for his belt buckle and she could feel him tense up beneath her hand. "I know, but let's just enjoy it while it lasts."

He smiled, letting his hands slither into the back pockets of her jeans. "Alright."

She looked up at his face and said seriously, "When we do have to stop this, though…I'll be sad when that day comes."

Professor Flaherty nodded. "Me, too."

* * *

**Author's note: **I think I've decided for sure the direction each girls' story will go. I had a general idea when I began writing the story, but I've been toying around with a few ideas and I've finally decided which ones I'm going with. If I had to guess, the story will be end up being around nine or ten chapters, so I still have plenty more to write about! :)

Again, thanks for all the reviews. Please keep them coming...they really do inspire me to continue with the story!


	6. Expect the Unexpected

_**Chapter 5 - Expect the Unexpected**_

Lavender could not stop smiling. Though she was still curious as to what Seamus was up to whenever he disappeared, she wouldn't question him about it anymore. She was just happy that their relationship was still running strong. She had a lot of trust invested in him, and all she needed was a bit of reassurance that everything was okay. Lavender made it a point to stop fretting about what Seamus was doing, and she made her best effort to do away with the pessimism.

Seamus was out doing whatever it was he needed to do, so Lavender was working on some homework. Needing some time away from the chaos of the common room, she was at her desk in her dormitory. Some peace and quiet was long overdue for her.

Who better to meddle with that than Parvati? She barged into the dormitory, and shut the door loudly behind her. "Good , you're here. We need to talk."

Lavender reluctantly turned to Parvati, knowing that whatever she had to say probably wasn't anything good. _I knew I should have gone to the library,_ Lavender thought. "What's up?"

"It's about Harry. He's in love."

"Um, okay. Why is this important?"

"He's part of the plan."

"Plan?"

"My prefect plan! Remember, I can't go for Ron, so I'm going after Harry? How am I going to charm him out of this?"

Lavender couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Parvati, you had to have known this was coming."

Parvati shrugged. "No, not really. Their relationship was falling apart. I thought they were going to split for good. I never anticipated them falling in love! It can't be real…he's too good for her."

"That's a horrible thing to say! Luna's a wonderful girl."

"She's a psycho."

"She's odd, yes, but not a psycho. She's really nice, and a lot of fun to be around. And if you would jump off your high horse and actually try to get to know her, you would see that. You may be better off doing that than trying to figure out ways to sabotage their relationship."

"Relax, I'm not going to do anything of the sort," Parvati retorted. "I'm confident that it will crumble on it's own. I'm going for Draco instead for the time being. And all I came here for was to ask if you've gotten anything out of Seamus lately."

"Like what?"

"Did you ever find out if he was cheating on you?"

Lavender shook her head. "He says he isn't and I believe him."

"Well, then what _is_ he up to?"

"I don't know. He said he had some things to deal with and that he needed some privacy in the matter."

"And you didn't ask what that was?"

"No. I'll find out when he's ready to tell me. I trust him."

"I wish I had that much faith in people. Just don't get your heart broken, alright?"

Lavender smiled. "Like I said, I trust him. I love him and he loves me. That's all I need to know."

At that very moment, there was a knock at the door. A head of red hair poked itself inside. "Can I bother you for a minute, Lav?" Ginny asked. "Hi, Parvati."

"Hi and bye, Gin. I'm heading out. See you, Lav," Parvati said as she breezed by Ginny and out the door.

Ginny took one look at Lavender's glowing face and said, "Everything went alright with Seamus, I take it?"

"Yes, very much so. We'll be okay." Lavender was smiling, but it faded when she couldn't help but notice that Ginny looked...different. She appeared quite worn out. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked, concerned.

Ginny nodded. "Yes, of course. Why?"

"I don't know. You just look exhausted."

"Well, NEWT classes will do that to you, I suppose."

Lavender grinned. "I know that feeling. So, what brings you up here?"

Ginny smiled and simply said, "Draco."

"Draco?"

"You wanted to know who I've been seeing. It's Draco."

"Draco Malfoy? You and him? Since when?"

"Eight months ago."

Lavender laughed. "You've kept it quiet for that long?" When Ginny nodded, she asked, "Why?"

"Isn't that kind of obvious?"

Lavender considered this, then shrugged. "I suppose you're right. So, you and Draco. Wow. You two are serious, then?"

"Yes. But not a lot of people know yet. Hermione and Pansy are the only others. Draco thought we should start telling people, so I figured I'd start. Slowly, of course. Our families don't know yet, and I'm trying to keep things as quiet as possible until Christmas. So, could you maybe…"

"Not tell anyone? Yes, of course." Lavender smiled. "I'm really happy for you, Gin. Both of you. As long as you two care about each other, nothing else matters."

Ginny gave her friend a hug and smiled. "I'll see you this afternoon. I've got a class to get to."

Lavender waved and went back to her work. Then a thought occurred to her. Ginny was dating Draco. Draco was Parvati's next 'target', so to speak. As much as she hated to get involved in Parvati's twisted scheme, Lavender reluctantly closed her book and exited the dormitory. She went off in search of her friend to hopefully spare her of some inevitable disappointment.

* * *

"It's going to be impossible to write three rolls of parchment on only these two chapters. There's just no way," Hermione complained.

Anthony laughed quietly, as they were in the library. "Of course there is. You just have really tiny handwriting. You need to write larger, that's all."

"But then it comes out sloppy."

He shook his head, grinning. "Everything doesn't have to be perfect. But you're right on the fact that there isn't as much material to work with like there usually is. It's a shame Terry had to cancel today."

"Well, he didn't have to. He just prefers Hannah over us. The git…"

Anthony smiled. "I can't blame him, though. The two of them just began dating. When it's new, it's infatuating. You don't want to be around anyone else but that person. So I'm going to cut the guy a break this time."

Hermione sighed. "I suppose you're right. But if we don't do well on these essays…"

"We'll be fine, trust me." Anthony closed his book and turned his gaze to her. "I actually don't mind that Terry isn't here, though. I like spending time with you, Hermione."

Hermione blushed, and forced herself to keep staring down at her work for the fear of melting at the mere sight of him. "We're only studying," she said.

Anthony chuckled a little bit. "Yes, I know that, but you make it interesting. You're adorable when you're focused on an assignment. I've noticed that for quite some time now."

Though she continued to look down and stare blankly at her book, curiosity got the best of her. "How long?" she asked quietly.

"Don't laugh. Since fourth year." Against her better judgment, Hermione looked up at him. He was smiling slightly, but she noticed that his cheeks had turned a mild shade of pink. He continued. "I've always noticed you, Hermione. How could I not? You're brilliant beyond definition. And, if I may say so, quite lovely." He reached over and placed his hand gently on hers. Hermione glanced at it and let it linger there for a moment before coming to her senses and pulling her hand away.

"Anthony, I'm with Ron. You know that," she said in a whisper. It came out sounding harsh, even though that was not her intention.

He shook his head. "I know. I'm sorry. I…" his voice trailed off. He picked up his book and shoved it into his bag. "I'm sorry. I have to go. I'm late for a...well, I just have to leave. Sorry." He was out the door before Hermione could say a word.

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes briefly. She could not believe what had just happened. _So he _does_ like me,_ Hermione thought. She wasn't sure whether to be happy or discouraged. She really did like Anthony, but she didn't think she could handle hurting Ron. She still cared for him beyond measure.

_Maybe this is just a temporary infatuation. Maybe it will go away,_ she thought. Rather, she hoped. She did know, though, that things could get out of control if she allowed it. And though she did not want to admit it, there was a part of her that wanted it to. She _really_ wanted it to.

* * *

"Miss Weasley!"

"Ginny! Ginny!" Colin Creevey whispered. Ginny felt him nudge her upper arm.

"Miss WEASLEY!" It was Professor McGonagall. Ginny's eyes snapped open. She sat up quickly once she realized she was in her transfiguration class. All of her classmates were looking at her, and Professor McGonagall was glaring at her from her desk at the front of the room.

"See me after class, Miss Weasley," she said sternly. "Everyone, please return your concentration to your assignment."

As the rest of the class murmured and went back to their work, Colin whispered, "Are you okay, Ginny?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Ginny lied, quickly flipping through her book to catch up with her classmates. "I've just been really tired lately."

"Maybe you should - "

"Colin, really, I'm okay. I just want to finish this up. I'm in enough trouble as it is."

Colin muttered something about only trying to help, but if Ginny heard him, she didn't acknowledge it. She stayed quiet for the remainder of the class, never looking up at anyone. Though she did her assignment, her mind was elsewhere. _Maybe I should just talk to Draco about this. _She immediately erased the thought from her mind. She wasn't sure of anything yet. Why burden him with an uncertainty? No, she would keep it hushed for now.

To Ginny's relief, the remainder of class went by rather quickly. She was about to exit the room when she heard Professor McGonagall call her name. Ginny had forgotten about that part. She reluctantly walked over to her teacher's desk, grateful that all of the other students had left. At least she would be lectured in private.

"Now, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall began, "This is the second time this has happened this week."

Ginny tilted her head slightly in confusion. "I'm not quite sure what you mean, Professor."

"Professor Flitwick told me about your little snooze in Charms class on Tuesday morning. I wasn't going to mention it because I assumed it was a one time occurrence. But now it seems as if you feel the need to nap in multiple classes."

"I'm very sorry, Professor. I'm just very tired lately. I know it was wrong, and I know I'm going to get detention, but please don't write to my parents."

"Now, don't jump to conclusions, Miss Weasley. I wasn't planning on any of that."

"You…you weren't?"

"No. I'm actually genuinely concerned about you. You've been my student for six years, and I've never seen you lose focus like this. I've always known you to be a bright and attentive student. I called you up here because I just wanted to make sure everything is alright with you."

Ginny was surprised but humbled by her teacher's kindness. "Thank you, Professor. But I'm okay. Everything's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I trust your judgment. However, I am going to request that you pay a visit to Madame Pomfrey. You are excused from the rest of you classes for the day. I will let your teachers know where you are."

"Thank you, Professor, but it's not necessary."

Professor McGonagall gave her a stern look. "Miss Weasley, obviously it is very necessary! You're falling asleep in class and you're looking quite peaky. It wouldn't hurt to go to the hospital wing, even if it's only to rest for a few hours. Now off you go."

Ginny forced a smile and left. She really did not want to go the hospital wing, but she'd be in an even bigger mess if she didn't. As she made her way to the opposite side of the school, she silently prayed that everything would turn out for the best.

* * *

"Why are you doing this, Parvati?" Professor Flaherty asked. He and Parvati were in the abandoned classroom where they usually met, but they were just talking. _For now,_ Parvati thought.

"Because I feel like it. Isn't that obvious?"

"Well, yes, but…" he paused. "You're better than that."

Parvati scowled. "Says who?"

"Says me. To tell you the truth, I think you're only doing this because you can't have the mystery guy you're interested in. And don't waste your time arguing with me, saying it's only a crush, because both you and I know it's much more than that."

Parvati knew he was right, but she would never admit it. She remained silent for a moment. She really did not want to show her vulnerable side and get emotional in front of Professor Flaherty; that just wasn't the way she was. Instead, she put on her brave face and said, "Maybe I just like experimenting."

"Or maybe you're just trying to use an assortment of guys to fill the hole in your heart when in reality, the only one who can is mystery man."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "What do _you _know?"

"Look, I know I'm not a psychologist, but-"

"A what?"

"Sorry. It's a muggle term for a person who studies the mind. They're like…um, brain healers."

"Oh. Right."

"As I was saying, I think you should just stop for a while. Take a break from this plan of yours. I think it's safe to assume that your girlfriends have suggested it a fair few times. Who knows, maybe mystery man will surprise you."

Parvati shook her head. "No he won't. Not in a million years."

"So you're not even going to take my advice into consideration?"

"I'll think about it," Parvati lied. "But now it's your turn, Ezra. Why are _you_ doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean. Shagging me when you have a girlfriend back in Ireland. You two are still together, aren't you?"

"We are."

"Right. You love her, yes?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"So why are you having this fling with me, then? You and I are friends, but we don't see each other in a romantic way. You know why I'm doing it, but you haven't given me the slightest idea as to why you are. So what gives?"

He shrugged. "For the same reasons as you, really. I'm lonely. This is my first year here, and being away from my family and my girl is a tough thing for me." He sighed. "I know that is a pathetic excuse."

"You certainly aren't kidding on that one," Parvati remarked.

"Yes, I know. But think about it. This all started out innocently enough. We would just hang out and talk. Things just sort of happened. They got out of hand. We never intended for things to go down this route. I didn't, at least."

"Me neither."

"Don't get me wrong, Parvati. You're a beautiful girl. You're cute, witty, and, if I may say so, attractively cunning. But this…you and I…it was not my intention. I promise."

"I know, Ezra. And believe me, this all took me completely by surprise, too. I didn't come back to school this year anticipating jumping into bed with my new teacher. I may be a bit on the wild side, but I'm not _that_ bad."

Professor Flaherty laughed, shaking his head. "We really got ourselves in deep, eh?"

Parvati shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much. This isn't going to last forever. We'll go back to being 'just friends' soon enough, once we figure ourselves out."

He smiled. "I suppose. Now, can you at least tell me who mystery man is? I'm tired of not having a name for him."

"Nope."

"My, my, you are stubborn. You never break." Professor Flaherty sighed and rose from his chair, glancing at his watch. "I best be going, though. They'll wonder where I've gone."

Parvati stood up. "You're leaving? Now?"

"I have to. Class starts in a half-hour."

"So, that gives us at least twenty minutes." She slipped her hand underneath his robes.

He pushed her hand away. "After everything we just discussed, you're still going to try this?"

She repeated her last moves, this time grasping his belt buckle and gently tugging at it. "Ezra…," she breathed.

He groaned. "Not fair…"

"Come on, I know when you told me to 'take a break', you weren't including yourself." When he said nothing, Parvati leaned in and gently kissed the sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder. He gently pushed her away.

"Okay, okay, you win. But not now. Meet me here tonight. Same time as always."

Though this wasn't what Parvati hoped for, at least it was something. "Alright. I'll see you later, then," she said, faking a smile. After Professor Flaherty left, she sat back in her chair. She hated being alone because that was when she could not ignore her thoughts. When she was alone, she broke. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of not Professor Flaherty, but whom he liked to refer to as 'mystery man'. No one heard the sobs that echoed through the empty corridors of the abandoned wing.

* * *

Hermione was in the Gryffindor common room with her homework, as the library wasn't exactly a safe place for her at the moment. She felt dirty for wanting that encounter with Anthony to go further. _It's downright wrong for me to think like that,_ she thought. _I'm in love with Ron, not Anthony. I love RON!_

"Hello, lovely," a rather cheerful Lavender said, interrupting Hermione's thoughts. She plopped down into the chair across from her. "What are you doing up here? I thought for sure you'd be in the library."

"Well…change of plans," said Hermione, not really sure how else to put it. "Free period, I take it?"

"Yes. I was looking for Parvati but she seems to have vanished. You haven't seen her have you?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not at all today. no. It's Ginny I've been looking for."

"Oh, I ran into her on my way up here. She was heading toward the hospital wing. Nothing to worry about, though," Lavender quickly added when she saw the look of panic on Hermione's face. "She fell asleep in Transfiguration, so McGonagall sent her there. She wanted Madame Pomfrey to make sure everything was okay."

Hermione appeared bewildered. "McGonagall sent her to the hospital for falling asleep?"

Lavender shrugged. "Evidently it's not the first time it's happened." She giggled a little and said, "She's probably been spending too much time with Draco."

Hermione smiled. "She finally told you about Draco? Isn't it great?"

"Who's dating Draco?" came a voice from the stairs. Both girls swung their heads around to see a grinning Ron heading toward them.

"Ron! No, one it, it's…"

He grinned. "It's Parvati, I'm guessing? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone if it is."

Quickly changing the subject, Hermione asked, "I thought you had class? What happened?"

"What, is my Mione not happy to see me?" He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Snape canceled class. Wicked, eh? I came up here to find Seamus 'cause we were gonna play some quidditch. Have you seen him?" he asked, turning to Lavender.

Lavender shook her head. "Nope. If I know him as well as I think I do, I'd say he's probably out there already."

"Right. Well, Harry and Dean'll be wondering where I've run off to. Bye, love, I'll see you tonight," he said, kissing Hermione again and winking at her. He waved at them both before climbing through the portrait hole.

"Sheesh, don't seem too warm toward him," Lavender remarked sarcastically. "What was all that about?"

Hermione shook her head. "It's nothing really. We're just kind of, er, going through a rough spot is all."

"You both are, or just you?" Lavender caught Hermione's questioning look and laughed. "Oh come on, I'm not blind. Ron certainly didn't seem like anything was wrong. It was you who was a bit cold."

Hermione grimaced. "Am I that obvious?"

"To me, yes. Ron didn't seem to notice, though." When Hermione said nothing, Lavender continued. "_Is_ there something wrong, Hermione?"

_It wouldn't hurt to confide in one friend, right?_ Hermione thought. And since Ginny wasn't around, Lavender was the next best thing. _Oh, why not. Maybe she'll have some answers._

"Okay, let me ask you this. You love Seamus, right?"

"Yes, of course. With all my heart."

"Well, even though you love him, have you ever felt attracted to someone else still?"

"I've thought other guys were good looking, but that's pretty much the extent of it."

"Oh."

Lavender laughed. "That wasn't the answer you were hoping to hear, I take it?"

"No, not exactly," Hermione admitted. She glanced around to confirm that the common room was empty except for the two of them. "Promise to keep this quiet?"

"Definitely."

"What do you think about Anthony Goldstein?"

"Anthony? I thought you two were just friends, study-buddies!"

"I know, I thought so too. But lately, ugh, I don't know, I just…want him. Bad."

"What does he think of this? Does he even know?"

Hermione shook her head. She told Lavender about what happened in the library earlier. "I really wanted to act upon it. I can't even begin to tell you how much."

"Wow. Where is this sudden interest coming from, d'you think?"

"Parvati, most likely."

Lavender snorted. "What's she got to do with this? Oh no, you aren't buying into the stuff she said about being a little promiscuous, are you?"

"I don't know. Maybe a little."

"Hermione, don't listen to her. You have a great guy who loves you more than life. Don't ever lose sight of that."

Hermione slumped deeper into the couch. "I know, I know. But maybe she has a point. I mean, I love Ron with all of my heart. Truly, I do. But he's all I know."

Lavender nodded. "So what you're saying is you want to explore your feelings a little bit more? See if this tells you if Ron is the real deal or not?"

Hermione considered this. It made sense. "Yes, I suppose so." She sighed. "How can I love Ron, but still care for someone else? Anthony _is _a really great person, Lav."

She nodded. "I haven't talked to him much, but I believe you. But this whole situation…I don't know, 'Mione. You should definitely talk to him sooner rather than later. And to Ron. Yes, I said Ron. I know you love him but clearly Anthony isn't just a little crush that will only last a week."

"I know. I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Trust me, I know that feeling."

"At least you worked things out with Seamus, though."

Lavender looked out the window, unable to help being curious as to whether he really was at the quidditch pitch or not. "Yeah, I suppose I did."

* * *

_This is ridiculous. There's no need for me to be here,_ Ginny thought. She was sitting up in bed in the hospital wing with her arms folded across her chest in that stubborn Weasley way. The only student in the wing, she was next to a giant window which had a perfect view of the grounds. It was the first nice day in weeks. She knew Harry, Ron, and the others were probably enjoying a nice game of quidditch right about now. It only made her blood boil even faster.

Madame Pomfrey had taken some tests about fifteen minutes ago to make sure she was alright. Though Ginny tried to tell her she was just a bit stressed out, she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Professor McGonagall sent you down here out of concern," she had said. "The least I can do is make sure you are good and healthy."

Ginny thought about Draco. She thought about where he was and what he was doing. She figured he had probably wondered where she was this afternoon, as she had missed lunch in the Great Hall. _Now I don't even know if I can see him tonight. Wonderful. _

Inevitably, the thought of telling more people about Draco slithered it's way into her head. Lavender had taken the news like Hermione, and she could only pray that everyone else would. The last thing she wanted was for the Christmas holidays to be a nightmare after the family learned of who she chose as a boyfriend. She could see it now: Ron red with rage, her father in shock, and endless teasing from Fred and George.

It was then that Madame Pomfrey interrupted her thoughts. She walked slowly into the room and took a seat at the edge of the bed. Her face was unreadable.

"Miss Weasley," she began. "Your test results came back."

Ginny began to get up. "So I'm all set, then. I can leave."

"Wait just a moment. I have something to discuss with you."

Ginny slumped back down. That couldn't be good. "Nothing is wrong with me, right?"

Madame Pomfrey cleared her throat. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"Something showed up in your test results that I was not expecting. It is not necessarily bad, but it's a condition you need to be aware of. It is imperative that we discuss it."

Ginny paled and braced herself for the worst.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I simply would like to send out a huge thank you to everyone who has been following the story. I've noticed that many of you have it on your alerts list, and some of you have even added it to your favorites already. This really means a lot to me! Also, the reviews you all have been writing are great. Please keep them coming! I'm thrilled to be getting so much positive feedback and I am very pleased that so many people are enjoying the story! :-)

The next update should be relatively quick. I'm really excited to write chapter 6 because, beginning with this chapter, the secrets and uncertainties of the story will slowly begin to surface. And I know many of you have been eager to learn the whereabouts and doings of our dear friend Seamus. That's coming up in the next chapter! Oh, the drama XD


	7. Girls Interrupted

**_Chapter 6 - Girls Interrupted_  
**

As Hermione walked toward the hospital wing, her mind was swarming with thoughts. She had received a message from Madame Pomfrey, stating that Ginny requested to see her. This baffled Hermione - why her? Why not Ron? He was her brother after all. And she could not help but worry that Ginny was really sick. Hermione remembered that Lavender said Ginny had been falling asleep in class. She thought of all the books she had read on magical maladies and illnesses, but she could not recall anything that caused chronic drowsiness. Hermione could not make the pieces fit.

"Oh, Miss Granger, I'm so glad you came," Madame Pomfrey greeted her as she entered the hospital wing.

Hermione nodded. "I got your message that Ginny needed to see me."

"Yes, she said she will only talk to you. I insisted that I send for her brother but she refused."

"Is she alright, Madame Pomfrey?"

Madame Pomfrey sighed. "I suppose that depends on your definition of alright." She gestured toward a door on the right side of the room. "She's waiting for you. There aren't any other students here so you'll have some privacy."

Hermione thanked Madame Pomfrey and proceeded into the main room of the hospital wing. Ginny was in the bed which was the farthest away. She was staring blankly out the window, lost in her daydreams. She looked very fragile, sitting there all alone.

"Ginny?" Hermione asked quietly, slowly walking toward her friend. "How are you?" When Ginny said nothing, Hermione sat in the chair next to the bed, placing her book bag down on the floor beside her. "Ginny?"

After a few seconds of silence, Ginny turned toward Hermione. Hermione did not expect to see Ginny's eyes glazed with unshed tears.

"Life as I know it is over," she said sadly.

Hermione shook her head, confused. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Ginny closed her eyes, causing a lone tear to escape a run slowly down her face. She whispered, "I'm pregnant."

* * *

Parvati had decided to forget about Professor Flaherty's suggestion to take things slow for a while. Instead, she was wandering aimlessly around the corridors in search of Draco. He was impossible to talk to in class, as he was always the last to arrive and the first to leave. Not to mention he always sat as far away from everyone as possible. Parvati had noticed that ever since the death of his father, he never seemed to talk to anyone, not even those cronies Crabbe and Goyle. He seemed lonely.

It was a problem that she was more than happy to help fix. _If I can ever find the guy,_ she thought. He seemed like the type who would hang out in some random corridor rather than in a more public place, such as his common room. When she turned a corner, she saw someone sitting in an alcove a little farther down. Parvati could only see their feet sticking out, as they must have been sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. She could tell it was a boy because of the shoes. _Maybe this is my lucky day_, she thought. As she approached the figure, however, she quickly learned that it was not Draco. Instead of platinum blond, this boy's hair was light brown. _What is _he_ doing up here?_

"Seamus?" Parvati asked in a surprised tone.

He looked up and smiled. "Hi, Parvati. What brings you up this way?"

"Erm…just taking a walk. Clearing my head a bit." She sat down on the floor next to him. "You?"

"More or less the same. The common room gets a bit loud. It's nice to get away from everyone, if only for a little while."

"I couldn't agree more. How have you been? Are you and Lavender doing okay?"

He smiled. "More than okay."

"She's a lot happier lately, I've noticed. I know she was concerned about your relationship for quite a while."

Seamus nodded. "I'm surprised she thought things were heading south. It's my own fault, though, I suppose. I was too cowardly to talk to her about what was going on."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, hello," came a girl's voice from down the hall. Hannah Abbott was strolling by. "Don't mind me, I'm just passing through. See you both later," Hannah said, smiling sweetly as she continued down the corridor.

"Bye," Seamus said, smiling back. He turned toward Parvati. "So, you're clearing your head, you say. Is there something bothering you?"

_What's not bothering me would be an easier question to answer,_ Parvati thought. Instead, though, she said, "Nothing, really. I was just looking for Draco."

Seamus's cheerful face was overtaken by a confused looked. "Malfoy? What do you want with him?"

"Just need to talk to him about something is all," she said.

He nodded. "Right. Well, I did see him earlier near the library. He was wrapping up his prefect rounds, I believe. I hope you find him." He stood up. "I must be going though. I'll see you in the common room later, yeah?" Smiling, he waved and began walking down the corridor in the direction Hannah had gone.

Parvati rose to her feet and turned in the opposite direction. It would be quicker to get to the library that way. She had completely forgotten about Draco's duties as a prefect. It certainly explained why she couldn't find him.

As she walked, she realized Seamus had never answered her question about what he hadn't discussed with Lavender. She turned around quickly to ask him again, but he had already vanished.

* * *

Lavender had the seventh year girls' dormitory to herself. She had just returned from visiting Ginny in the hospital wing, and was relieved to find out she only had the flu. She was worried it would have been worse. Hermione was still down there with her, Seamus was out and about, and Parvati, like usual, was nowhere to be found. Lying on her bed, she looked over at her desk. She hadn't tidied it in a while and it was beginning to look a bit cluttered. _Might as well clean it now,_ she thought. _I've got nothing better to do. _

She had forgotten about some of the things on there, old homework assignments and the like. Lavender began to sort through her drawers, and she came across her old diary from her earlier years at Hogwarts. She got distracted reading it for a while, laughing at all the memories. She even found an entry from her third year, when she first began to notice Seamus as more than a classmate. She was crazy about him even then.

Lavender came to the bottom drawer of her desk, where she found only one small piece of parchment. It was the 'meeting schedule' she had copied from Seamus's room last month. Lavender had completely forgotten about it, seeing as everything had started to work out. She was tempted to simply toss it into the rubbish bin, but something stopped her. Lavender caught a glace of something she had written: 'Saturday - 6:00'.

_Today is Saturday, _she thought. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 5:42 - whatever 'meeting' Seamus had was supposed to happen in a little over fifteen minutes. Lavender hadn't noticed how odd this was until now. What could possibly be so important that he had to set aside special time every single Saturday for? Clearly it was not tutoring; not even the most dedicated teacher would sacrifice his or her precious Saturday evenings for one student. It had to be…

_No, no, NO_, she silently scolded herself. _We've been over this. Stop thinking the worst!_ This would have been an excellent time to have a girlfriend around. She would have been more that happy to bother Hermione or Ginny with the issue at hand, but both were preoccupied at the moment. Even Parvati, as dead-set against relationships as she was, would have been beneficial to Lavender.

Lavender debated whether to take a peek in Seamus's room again or to even go looking for him, but in the end she decided against it. Instead, she grabbed a bottle from her trunk and headed downstairs to the common room, hoping to find some company. It was empty except for Harry, who sat near the fireplace cozily with the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. She took a seat next to him.

"You busy, Harry?"

He tore his eyes away from the page in front of him to look up at her. "Not really. Just catching up on the latest."

"No Luna tonight?"

"She's visiting with Ginny, as are Hermione and Ron. I was down there earlier but I can only be in the hospital wing for so long. I've spent too much time there myself." He smiled. "How about you? Where's Seamus?"

"Damned if I know." She held up the bottle of butterbeer she had taken from her trunk. "Fancy a drink?"

Harry laughed, placing the newspaper on the table beside him. "Rough night?"

"You could say that."

Harry transfigured two nearby candles into a set of goblets and handed one to Lavender. "Alright, fill 'em up."

Lavender took a large gulp of her butterbeer barely before Harry even had his in his hands. He had to laugh. "Sheesh, you weren't kidding, were you? What's going on?"

Lavender half smiled and said, "Do you really want to go there?" She had a feeling he was going to regret asking.

Harry raised his glass slightly and nodded. "Cheers. Fire away."

* * *

"You'll keep an eye on her, right?" Ron asked Hermione. They were right outside of the hospital wing. Luna had just left, and Ron was about to follow suit. "I know it's only the flu but I'm still worried."

"Yes, of course." Hermione said, placing her hand gently on his arm. "I care about her just as much as you do. She'll be fine."

"I know." He smiled, pulling Hermione in for a kiss. Hermione reluctantly obliged. She felt weird now whenever she kissed Ron, like she was doing something she wasn't supposed to be. She didn't feel the butterflies in her stomach or the weakness in her knees like she once did. It broke her heart, but she couldn't bear to break his. She didn't know what to do.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I love you. Sleep well." He smiled before he turned and walked away.

Hermione felt tears begin to swarm in her eyes, but she fought them. Now wasn't the time. Ginny was pregnant, and she had to focus on helping her friend right now. As Ron disappeared around a corner, Hermione went back into the hospital wing to sit beside Ginny.

"How are you going to tell Draco?" she asked quietly.

Ginny shook her head. "It's not Draco I'm worried about. It's Ron. The rest of my brothers. My parents…"

Hermione shook her head. "Don't worry about them right now. It's Draco who needs to know, first and foremost."

"I know, but…I just don't know what I'm going to do. Should I…" Ginny stopped.

Hermione tilted her head. "Should you what?"

Ginny could barely look at Hermione. She whispered, "Should I keep it?"

"I…I can't answer that, Ginny. That's something you and Draco have to decide together." Hermione took her best friend's hand in hers. "Listen, as far as Ron and the others know, you have the flu. That will buy you a little bit of time until you figure out what you're going to do. But you have to talk to Draco as soon as possible."

Ginny nodded. "I haven't been able to see him since I've been here. He couldn't visit me because…well, you know why." Ginny sighed. "Could you find him for me, and tell him to meet me? Madame Pomfrey is letting me go back to Gryffindor Tower tonight, so I could talk to him before I go back."

Hermione nodded. "Sure. Where should I tell him to meet you?"

"Don't worry about that. He'll know."

"Okay, then. I'll be back to get you in a little while. There's no way Madame Pomfrey will let you leave without someone to walk you back. And Ginny?"

"Hm?"

"Try not to worry. Everything will work out for the best. I promise."

* * *

Parvati was about to give up when she saw the tall, blond-haired Slytherin boy she had been looking for emerging from the dungeons. She hurried to meet him.

"Draco, wait!"

He spun around. He looked neither pleased or dismayed to see her. He simply looked…blank. "Hi."

"Finishing up you're prefect rounds, I'm guessing? I just saw Hannah earlier. Isn't she the one you patrol with?"

He nodded. "Yes to both."

She smiled. "You're not going to report me for being out so late, are you?"

"Like I said, my rounds are over. I'm off duty. So no."

_Showtime_, thought Parvati. "I was just wondering…are you up to anything right now?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I'm looking for…well, the point is I'm busy. Why?"

Parvati inched a little closer toward him. "Is it anything you could put aside for a little while?"

"No, not really. What's this about?"

Parvati was a little put off. Here she was, wearing an extremely low-cut top, tight jeans, and the sexiest perfume she could find, and he didn't seem the least bit interested. She turned up the heat. She walked closer to Draco, causing him to back into the wall beside the archway that connected to the next corridor. She stuck out her chest slightly and brought her voice down to a sexy whisper.

"I just want to spend some time with you."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I have somewhere to be."

She tossed her hair as she giggled. "C'mon, don't you remember what it's like to be with me? Don't you remember how crazy I made you?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "That was once, Parvati. _Once_. It was over a year ago."

"I know, but didn't you like it? Love it, even?"

"At the time, yes. But I was in a weird place then. I was grieving. We agreed it was only a one time thing and I plan to keep it that way."

Parvati began to slowly reach for the clasp of his robes. "C'mon, just tonight, for old time's sake…"

Draco pushed her hand away. "Stop it, Parvati. I'm with someone, okay?"

"Draco! There you are!" came Hermione's voice from the adjoining corridor. "Ginny needs to see…" she immediately stopped when she appeared in the archway. She hadn't seen that Draco wasn't alone. "Oh goodness…Parvati…" Hermione brought her hand up to cover her mouth.

Parvati looked to Hermione, and then to Draco. "Ginny?" she asked him. "It's Ginny? That's who you're seeing?"

When Draco said nothing, Hermione spoke up. "Parvati, please don't say anything. _Please."_

Parvati shot Hermione a look. "I knew Ginny was seeing someone but she wouldn't tell me who. But she told you? Who else knows? Did she tell Lavender, too?"

Hermione hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but that's it! Just me and her. Not Ron, not Harry, not anyone. She was waiting until Christmas to tell everyone. Right, Draco?"

Before Draco could respond, Parvati spoke. "Forget it. It's no big deal." She was too hurt to argue. Her three best friends had been hiding this from her the entire time, even though they knew she was planning to pursue Draco. Had they wanted her to make a fool of herself? "You two have fun. I'm leaving. And don't worry, I won't say a _word._" Parvati wouldn't even look at Draco or Hermione as she breezed past them and down the corridor.

If this was a normal night, Parvati would have gone to see Professor Flaherty. He could always make her feel better in ways she could not even begin to describe. But he was home in Ireland for the weekend visiting with his girlfriend for her birthday. As she walked through the halls, she passed the route to the room where they always met. _Wish you were here tonight, Ezra_, she thought. At a loss of things to do for the night, she headed back to Gryffindor Tower in hopes that there would be someone there to keep her company.

* * *

An hour and three butterbeers later, Lavender was feeling better. She had never exactly hung out with Harry, but wished she had. He was a decent guy to talk with. He had been more than happy to listen to everything she had to say about Seamus. If he got bored with her, he never let it show. In her opinion, however, the best part was that he seemed genuinely sure that she had nothing to worry about.

"Trust me, Lavender," he said, "If he's up to anything bad, it's a well-kept secret."

"You're so sure of that, eh?"

He nodded. "Absolutely. I mean, think about it. I share a room with the guy, along with three others. Stories about the ladies in our lives are hard to keep from each other. The only one he ever talks about is you."

Lavender blushed, but she was really swooning over that news. "Really? He talks about me?"

"Of course. You're his girl. Why wouldn't he?"

"Why wouldn't who what?" Ron had returned from the hospital wing, plopping down in the vacant armchair next to Lavender. "What are we talking about?"

Lavender laughed. "Just Seamus."

"Oh, bollocks, what did he do now?"

Harry, while pouring some butterbeer into another transfigured goblet for his best friend, said, "I need you to back me up on something."

"Sure thing. What? Thanks, mate," he added quickly when Harry handed him the goblet.

"Do you think Seamus has a girl on the side?"

Ron stared at both of them blankly. "You're kidding me, right?"

Lavender piped up. "It's just me being paranoid, really…"

Ron took a gulp of butterbeer. "Why? What's he been doing?"

"He's just been acting weird. He's been having these secret meetings and says he wants to keep certain things to himself. Which is fine, of course. Like I said, I'm probably just over thinking things."

"Yeah, I think you might be just a bit. I wouldn't worry too much, Lavender. Seamus is a good bloke," Ron said. "I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary."

"Neither have I," Harry said rather cheerfully. He picked up the bottle of butterbeer. "Now enough of this serious talk. Another round, anyone?"

* * *

"Just tell him everything, okay?" Hermione said to Ginny. They were standing outside the wall that lead to the Room of Requirement, where Ginny was supposed to meet Draco. "Try to figure out what you're going to do."

"I'm just so afraid he'll want to leave me…"

"Nonsense," Hermione said reassuringly. "He's so in love with you. I can see that every time he looks at you. Whatever you two decide, it will be okay. _You_ will be okay. And if you need anything, I'm not far away. Remember that."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said. "I…really appreciate everything you're doing. You're so supportive and generous…"

Hermione smiled. "Don't worry about it. Now go in there and talk to Draco. He's probably been in there for a while and you don't want to worry him. If you want, when you come back to Gryffindor Tower, you can stay in my room for the night. I can transfigure my chair into an extra bed."

"Thanks, but I might spend the night here. It depends on how everything goes."

"It will all be fine," Hermione said, giving Ginny a hug. "Have a good night." She walked down the corridor as Ginny began pacing in front of the wall, waiting for the door to appear.

Hermione was halfway to Gryffindor Tower when she heard someone calling her name.

"Hermione?" It was unmistakably Anthony Goldstein approaching. Her better judgment told her to continue walking and pretend she had not heard him. Instead, she slowly turned around to see him walking toward her.

"You're out awfully late," Hermione commented.

"Yes, I suppose so. I was in the library and I lost track of time," he said. "How are you, Hermione?"

"I'm…" Confused? Frustrated? Guilty? Hermione did not know how to respond. So instead, she said, "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm alright," Anthony said. "Listen, about the other day. I'm sorry. I didn't…I didn't mean to offend you…"

Hermione cut him off. "You didn't offend me. It just sort threw me off, that's all."

He nodded. "I know you're with Ron, and I respect that. But sometimes…I don't know. Gosh, you're so beautiful, Hermione. Everything just feels right when I'm around you." He reached for her hand and dropped his voice to a whisper. "I just wish I could be the one you're with."

Hermione thought about what Lavender said. She said she had to talk to both Anthony and Ron. Now was as good a time as any other, right?

"Sometimes I wish that, too, Anthony…"

He looked into her eyes. "You…you do?"

Hermione could feel a lump growing in the back of her throat as she choked out, "Yes. I do." She held his hand for a moment longer before taking it away. "But I can't. _We_ can't. This can't happen, Anthony. I'm sorry."

He shook his head in frustration. "But why not? If we both want it to, why not?"

"Because…" Hermione stopped herself. She wanted to say it was because she loved Ron, but was that even true anymore? "Because it just can't. I'm so sorry, Anthony." She could not bear to look into his eyes because of the hurt that lurked in them. She turned and walked away as fast as she could, holding back tears all the way to Gryffindor Tower. She planned to go straight to her private room. She didn't want to see anyone, not even her friends.

_What am I going to do?_

_

* * *

_

When Parvati arrived back to the common room, she was still in fuming from the incident with Hermione and Draco. But when she saw who was in the common room, the fuming was replaced with butterflies in her stomach and a frog in her throat.

There he was, sitting with his best friend and her best friend. They were sitting in a circle around a small table, drinking butterbeer and clearly having a good time. A very good time, actually. Parvati wondered exactly how long the butterbeer had been flowing. They all looked slightly red in the face and were laughing at practically nothing.

She wanted to sit with them all, but wasn't sure if she should. After all, she was still quite upset. She didn't want to spoil their good time. But she desperately wanted to be closer to him. She had to try.

She approached the happy group of three. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure thing! Harry, another glass, if you could," Lavender said. He summoned the nearest candle and transfigured it into a goblet while it was floating to Parvati's waiting hand. She had taken the seat between him and Ron.

"Thanks," she said. "It's been a rather…interesting night."

Ron laughed. "Care to enlighten us?"

Parvati glanced at Lavender. She was tempted to spill everything about Draco and Ginny in front of the boys because she was so angry about the situation. But she had a change of heart when she saw her friend's smiling face. Lavender hadn't looked so happy in quite some time. _I'm becoming soft,_ Parvati thought, almost grimacing. She would talk to Lavender another time.

"Nah, Ron. I don't want to bring down the party. Let's just enjoy the night, yeah?"

There appeared to be no objections. They all raised their full goblets and clinked them together. The foursome spent the remainder of the night talking, laughing, and having lighthearted, easygoing time.

* * *

"Ginny!" Draco exclaimed as she finally entered the Room of Requirement. He immediately pulled Ginny into a tight embrace, burying his face in her neck. When they finally pulled apart, he said, "You had me worried. Why didn't you tell me you were in the hospital? I would have come to visit."

Ginny had to smile. "Come on, we both know you could not have done that without risking being seen."

"I know, but if you were sick it wouldn't have mattered. I would have been there for you."

Ginny could feel the tears in her eyes already. "I know…"

Draco looked at her with concern. "Gin, what's wrong? Are you still feeling ill? I'll walk you back to the hospital."

"No, it's not that. I…"

"What is it, love?"

Ginny let a tear fall as she looked up to him for the first time that night. "I'm pregnant, Draco…"

If Draco could have gotten any more pale, he would have. "What?" he asked quietly.

"I'm so sorry…"

"Pr-pregnant? But…how? We made sure to use the charms…"

Ginny shook her head. "I don't know. We may have forgotten once or twice. I was sent to the hospital wing for falling asleep in class yesterday, and Madame Pomfrey ran some tests. That's how I found out. I'm sorry."

"Does anyone else know?"

Ginny shook her head. "Only Madame Pomfrey and Hermione. Everyone else thinks I have the flu."

Draco was silent. He was at a loss for words.

"Draco?" Ginny asked. She took his hand in hers. "We need to talk about this. We need to figure out what we're going to do." He still said nothing. "Draco?"

"I just can't believe it…"

Ginny swallowed hard. She asked quietly, "Are you going to leave me?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "I would never leave you, Ginny! I love you! We're in this together!"

The room must have sensed that this was a different meeting then normal, because the bed vanished and the couch reappeared for the first time in weeks. Both Draco and Ginny sat down, never letting go of the other's hand.

"Do you know how far along you are?" he asked.

"A month. Maybe a little more."

He nodded, realizing what had happened. "The first time…we didn't use a charm…"

"I know."

He squeezed her hand a little. "I'm so sorry, Ginny. That was my fault. I got carried away. It was my responsibility…"

"Stop. Don't say that. It was as much my responsibility as it was yours."

He stood up again. "What are we going to do, Ginny? Do you want to keep it?"

Ginny rose, too. "I was hoping we could discuss that. I need to know what you think."

Draco was silent for a moment. "I think…we should."

It wasn't the answer Ginny was expecting. "You…I mean…really?"

Draco nodded. He placed his free hand gently on Ginny's tummy. "The baby…it's ours. It's a combination of you and I. I don't think I could ever ask for anything sweeter or more special. It's sooner than we ever anticipated, and it will be difficult, but I couldn't bear to get rid of something so precious." He looked down at a tearful Ginny. "It's our baby, love. It's ours to keep."

Ginny threw her arms around him. "I love you so much, Draco."

"I love you too, Ginny. Always," he said. He pulled back. "You know this means there is no more avoiding telling certain people about us, right?"

"Yes. I was thinking about…"

But Ginny was rudely interrupted by the door to the Room of Requirement making a creaking noise. The noise it always made when it was appearing on the other side of the wall when someone was about to come in.

"You've got to be kidding me," Draco said, staring at the door.

The door opened slowly, and Ginny and Draco could hear laughter.

"This is a good spot," said a voice that was very familiar to Ginny. "No one will ever find us in…oh, for Merlin's sake!"

Ginny and Draco stared in shock at Seamus Finnegan. What was more shocking to Ginny, however, was the fact the Seamus's hand was clenching Hannah Abbott's.

"Oh, hello there," Hannah said as her cheeks began to turn pink. "We're sorry. We didn't think anyone would be here."

"You two…dating?" Seamus asked, clearly gobsmacked.

"Obviously," Ginny said. "And it's not to leave this room, you hear me?" She stared at the flabbergasted pair. "This is interesting, though. Hannah, I was under the assumption you and Terry Boot recently got together. And Seamus, I could have sworn you've been dating my best friend Lavender for the past six months."

Seamus looked quickly at Hannah, then desperately at Ginny. "I won't say anything if you don't say anything."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Okay, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have stopped there. That was mean. But I couldn't resist! Not to worry, though - Chapter 7 is well underway!

Again, thanks for all the reviews! (Also, the speculations you've all been making are fun to read. It's interesting for me to see everyone's take on which way they think things will turn.) You guys rock! You know the drill...keep reading, keep reviewing, and enjoy! :-)


	8. Christmas With the Gryffindors

_**Chapter 7 - Christmas with the Gryffindors  
**_

To the delight of many Hogwarts students, Christmas break seemed to arrive quicker than it had in previous years. Lavender was certainly no exception. Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan had owled her three weeks prior to the break, inviting her to spend Christmas in Ireland with them and the rest of Seamus's family. She had been anticipating spending Christmas at Hogwarts this year because her parents would be on an island in the Caribbean for the holiday, so she was more than happy to accept. Lavender could have easily gone home and had the house to herself for the week, but she hated being alone.

She was extremely excited to spend Christmas with the Finnegans. Lavender had only been to Seamus's house the one time she visited over the summer, but she loved it even then. His family had a small manor on a grassy hillside in County Kerry. Lavender only met Seamus's parents during that visit, but his family was much bigger than that. She knew Seamus had a Muggle half-brother from his dad's first marriage. Seamus also had an abundance of aunts, uncles, and cousins that she still had yet to meet. According to Seamus, his parents had the whole family over for Christmas every year for a big party. It was somewhat of a Finnegan family reunion, and Lavender was humbled to have been included in something so special.

It was two days before she was supposed to leave with Seamus, so she was in her dormitory doing some last minute gift wrapping. Her trunk was already packed. Just as she was tying a fancy gold ribbon around a neatly wrapped package, there was a tapping noise at the door. Assuming it was either Ginny or Hermione, she answered. She was surprised to see no one. Instead, there was a piece of paper folded into the shape of a dove, fluttering its wings. It flew into the room and hovered over Lavender's desk. She smiled, knowing it must have been from Seamus. He had always been particularly good at charms.

Her thoughts proved true when she caught the dove and unfolded it. It was a short note, inscribed in Seamus's unmistakably sloppy writing. It said:

_Hello, love!__  
_

_I would have come up to see you, but I did not want to risk the stairs turning on me. Sliding into the stone wall at the bottom is never fun. If you don't mind, could you come down to the common room to see me? I have some news.__  
_

_All my love, Seamus  
_

_P.S. I hope I charmed the note right. I was worried it would fly too fast and you wouldn't be able to catch it. But, I suppose if you're reading this, I needn't worry, right?_

Lavender smiled. Only Seamus would put that much effort into such a short note. Abandoning her gift wrapping without a second thought, she practically skipped down the stairs to meet him. He was on one of the couches near the portrait hole, as all of the good seats near the fire were already occupied. It was a bitter cold day and no one wanted to be outside.

She kissed him after she sat down. The smile she wore began to fade from her face when she noticed Seamus's grim look. Evidently the news he had to share with her wasn't very pleasant.

"Seamus, is everything okay?"

He shook his head and spoke quietly. "No. Christmas is off. I'm so sorry, Lav."

Lavender was taken aback. "Wh-what?"

He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is a letter from my mum. It arrived early this morning."

"Have your parents decided to spend Christmas abroad? Seems sort of sudden, doesn't it?"

"No, that's not it at all. I'm still going home for the week."

Lavender shook her head in confusion. "But I can't come with you? Why? Your parents were the ones who invited me to begin with. Now they're revoking their invitation? Do they not like me?" She was shaking.

Seamus placed his hand on hers. "No, no, love. Don't think like that. Of course they like you. They wanted you to be there. There's just been a change of plans. A very unfortunate change of plans."

"What do you mean?"

Seamus sighed. "It's my Gran. She…" He paused and took a deep breath. "She passed away late last night."

Lavender gasped. "Oh my goodness. Seamus, I'm so sorry…" She pulled him into a hug.

When they broke apart, Seamus continued. "My mom wants me to be there for the funeral. She asked me to tell you she's terribly sorry about ruining your Christmas."

Lavender shook her head, still flabbergasted by the news. "She doesn't have to be sorry. It's not her fault, or anyone's for that matter. I'm sorry for the fact that you and your family's Christmas will be filled with sorrow rather than happiness."

Seamus sighed. "She had been ill for quite some time, my Gran. It was bound to happen. We knew it was coming, but we just weren't expecting it so soon." He took her hands in his. "I know how much you were looking forward to spending out first Christmas together. I was, too. I'm so sorry things have turned out this way."

The couple cuddled together on the couch for quite some time, never speaking. Lavender felt terrible for Seamus; she knew he had been close to his grandmother. But at the same time, she felt sorry for herself. She knew it was downright awful of her to do so, but she couldn't help it.

* * *

"Aw, Hermione, don't worry. We're still going to have an excellent Christmas," Ron said. The pair was sitting on her bed as the snow slowly began to fall outside of her window.

Hermione pulled her knees up to her chest. "I know we are. I was just really looking forward to going back to the Burrow."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had decided to spend the holiday with Charlie in Romania this year, as they had not seen him for the previous two Christmases. Of course, they had changed their plans at the last minute. They did say that she, Ron, Ginny, and Harry were more than welcome to spend the holiday at the Burrow by themselves, but they had all decided against it. Christmas simply would not be Christmas at the Burrow with the absence of Molly Weasley's cooking.

So here she was, spending yet another holiday season at Hogwarts. Hermione had really wanted to get away from school this Christmas. It would have given her a chance to clear her head and think. She felt that she needed to be away from Hogwarts in order to do this. More specifically, she needed to be away from where she could always find Anthony right around the corner. She figured if she could be somewhere with no one to focus on but Ron, there was a chance she could get her mind, as well as her feelings, back to normal.

Hermione did not know if Anthony, too, would be spending the holiday at school. She had not talked to him since their latest incident when she had been on her way back from the hospital wing with Ginny. There were no prefect rounds until the new year began, so that made Hermione's endeavor to avoid Anthony slightly easier. All she had to do was stay away from the library whenever she could and focus solely on her work while in class.

Ron reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. "What are you thinking about, love? You're off in another world."

Hermione shrugged, knowing she could not tell him the truth. "Nothing, really."

He laughed. "As if. There's always something going on in that head of yours. It frightens me a bit sometimes." He smiled and snaked an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. "You think too much, Mione. Come on, it's Christmastime. A week with no homework, a week with no obligations, a week to be free! What could you possibly have to worry about?"

Hermione considered this. She thought, _other than my secret crush and almost-affair? Other than the fact that my best friend, your little sister, is pregnant with the child of your nemesis?_ She did her best to fake a smile and looked up at him. "I guess there isn't really anything, is there?"

Ron smiled and kissed her. "Of course not. Just forget about all of it, Mione. Just relax." He kissed her again, more fiercely this time. His tongue began to demand access to her mouth. She obliged, opening her lips to his. Ron began to lean back on the bed, pulling Hermione down on top of him. She went along with Ron's actions. As he began to tangle his fingers in her hair, she allowed her hand to glide underneath his shirt to rub his solid, chiseled chest. Hermione loved his athletic build; quidditch had done wonders for him.

Considering all of her mixed feelings, she knew she should not be doing this, but she pushed all of her uncertainties aside for a while against her better judgment. She saw no reason not to. It's not like things could go any further with Anthony, anyway. She had already told him off, and part of her worried that he would want nothing to do with her anymore. It made her sad to think about not even having him as a friend because of it. But her melancholy faded away once Ron began to fumble with the buttons of her jeans.

It always felt good with Ron - physically, anyway. Lately, the passionate aspect of it had been fizzling away. For once, though, Hermione pretended that sentimental part of sex did not matter. She intentionally forgot to anticipate the emotional connection she once desired more than anything. She allowed herself to fall deeper into Ron's embrace, deeper into her lustful instincts.

And, inevitably, deeper into her confusion.

* * *

"Well, Miss Weasley, everything looks like it's right where it should be," Madame Pomfrey said with a smile. "You're doing fine. All signs point to a smooth, healthy pregnancy."

"Excellent. Thank you," Ginny replied. Madame Pomfrey had insisted upon regular visits to the hospital wing, as she wanted to be sure that Ginny was taking good care both herself and the growing life inside of her. This was her last visit before the new year. Had the Christmas plans not have gone astray, it would have also been the last visit before her family learned of her condition. Ginny was both happy and distraught about the abrupt cancellation. She felt as if she was off the hook for the now, but at the same time, she knew it would become worse the longer she waited to say anything.

It seemed as if Madame Pomfrey was reading her mind. "Will you be notifying your parents of the pregnancy over the holiday break?"

Ginny shook her head, frowning. "I was going to, but plans have changed and I won't be going home for Christmas."

"You could owl them instead."

"No, I couldn't do that. That would be more dreadful than telling them to their faces, I think."

Madame Pomfrey sighed. "I know how difficult this is for you, but they need to know soon. In January, you will be three months along; that's not too far away from now. If you'd like, I can owl them on your behalf."

"Thank you, but no. Like I said, I don't think owl post is the best way for them to learn that their only daughter is pregnant."

Madame Pomfrey asked, "Will they be away for the holiday?" She was clearly trying to come up with a solution to Ginny's problem.

"Yes. They're visiting my brother in Romania."

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Okay, how about this. Once the holiday is over, I can send a letter asking them to make a visit to Hogwarts. Then, I can talk with them or you can tell them the news on your own. Either way, it will be in person."

Ginny considered this. It didn't sound like too bad of an idea. Plus, once it was known that the baby was Draco's, her father may take the news more rationally at Hogwarts than he would in the privacy of the Burrow.

"I think that is probably my best option. Thanks."

The older witch nodded. "Okay. I will owl them after Christmas. It is getting late. I suggest you head back to your dormitory and get some much-needed rest. Enjoy your holiday."

"Thank you, Madame Pomfrey. Have a happy Christmas," she said, smiling, before exiting the hospital wing. She did not, however, have any intention of going back to Gryffindor Tower right away. She was going to the Room of Requirement to see Draco one last time before the break. He was still going home for Christmas, and she wanted to spend as much time as possible with him before they were forced to spend a week apart.

"Ginny? What were you doing in the hospital?"

Ginny spun around to see the speaker. Parvati was approaching with an inquiring look on her face.

"Oh, hello Parvati. I just wasn't feeling very well."

Parvati smirked. "Flu again?"

"Well, like I said, I'm - just, well…"

She laughed. "Don't worry about it. As long as you're feeling better, that's all that counts. Heading back to the tower?"

"Yes," she lied.

"I'd hate to be you right now."

Ginny titled her head. "Why is that?"

"Well, let's see. Hermione disappeared into her room with Ron about two and a half hours ago, and I haven't seen her since. As for Lavender, she's shamelessly snogging Seamus in the common room. It's enough to make me sick to my stomach."

_Me too, _Ginny thought. She felt the guilt rip through her heart. She hadn't told Lavender about her run-in with Seamus and Hannah. It would destroy her, and Ginny did not know if she could handle being the one to put her through that pain. Even though Seamus had swore he would not be seeing Hannah again, Ginny knew she should still tell Lavender, but something was stopping her. She shook these feelings away for the time being, however. She knew Parvati was good at reading people, and she really did not want any questions regarding the matter.

"So where are you headed, then?" Ginny asked.

Parvati looked down. "You know…"

Ginny realized she must have been talking about Professor Flaherty. She did not want to say this out loud, though, just in case someone was around to hear it. Instead, she asked, "So you're still seeing him?"

"Well, not really 'seeing', so to speak. Just…hanging out…"

It was Ginny's turn to smirk. "Just make sure you're using charms."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of Merlin." She began to walk down the corridor. She looked over her shoulder at Ginny as she walked and said, sarcastically, "Don't worry, mother! I'll be home by eleven!"

Ginny laughed as Parvati disappeared. She practically skipped toward the Room of Requirement, thrilled to be seeing Draco. She was happy that the door appeared almost immediately after she approached it - she assumed the room must be used to her by now. She was barely alone for a minute when Draco came in, too. They did not even exchange words. They ran to each other and shared the most passionate kiss they've ever had. Their arms tangled around each other.

When they finally broke apart and caught their breath, Draco was the first to speak.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Gin."

"I'll miss you, too," she said. She brought a hand up to touch his cheek. "Are you sure you can't stay?"

Draco shrugged, defeated. "I can't. I promised my mother I'd come home. Holidays are hard for her ever since…well, you know." He sighed, but smiled when he placed his hand on her tummy, where there was the slightest hint of a baby bump. It wasn't even noticeable yet . "But maybe I can brighten up the holiday a bit when I tell her about the baby. She'll be thrilled, I'm sure of it. She's always wanted a grandchild."

Ginny looked into his grey-blue eyes, the eyes she loved so much. "I hope so. Do you think she'll be happy about us?"

He nodded. "Absolutely. Don't worry." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I want to give this to you now. I was going to wait for Christmas but I just couldn't. I had to see your face when you opened it."

Ginny looked at him inquiringly, but still eagerly took the package. She gasped when she opened it. Inside the box was a silver necklace with a heart pendant. On the heart were a purple-pink alexandrite and a bright green peridot. Nestled in between those two was a small, red ruby.

He smiled as she stared at it. "They're birthstones. The alexandrite is mine, the stone for June. The peridot represents you - August. And the ruby is…"

"July," Ginny whispered, finishing his sentence. "The baby."

He nodded, running a finger along the three gemstones. "I thought it would commemorate our new family. Do you like it?"

Ginny was trying hard not to cry, but her efforts were next to worthless. The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she kissed him. "I love you, Draco."

"I love you too, Ginny, with all of my heart. Merry Christmas, love."

* * *

"I told you this would happen. You can't say I didn't warn you," Professor Flaherty said.

Parvati rolled her eyes and continued to sulk. "Are you really going to go down the 'I told you so' route? I need cheering up, Ezra, not a lecture."

Parvati was still in a bitter mood about the Draco situation. Of course she was dismayed about being rejected, but she was more upset as to how it happened. Had she known Ginny was seeing him, she would have never gone after him. Even she wasn't that cruel.

As of fifteen minutes prior, she had something new to worry about: Ginny herself. There was something going on there. The flu a couple of weeks ago she could have believed, but another visit to the hospital wing? Something wasn't right. Not to mention, she had said something about contraceptive charms. _Who says that, honestly? _She thought. _Oh Merlin, she better not be pregnant. I'd kill Draco, if Ron and Harry didn't get to him first, that is._

"Hey, snap out of it!" Professor Flaherty said with a hint of laughter, bringing Parvati back to reality. "Mystery man on the mind again?"

"Er, yes, actually," she said. Technically he was. Sort of.

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"Talked to him? Yes."

Professor Flaherty gave her a look. "You know what I mean, Parvati. Have you _talked_ with him? You know…asked him out or anything?"

"I don't even think that question deserves an answer."

"I'll take that as a no, then." Professor Flaherty took a seat across from Parvati, folding his arms on the desk. "Are you ever going to?"

"Maybe," Parvati said. "I'm not worried about it now, though. I have you."

Professor Flaherty sighed. "Parvati, you and I both know it's not like that. We know this can't last forever. We don't feel that way about each other. That's something we both feel for other people. All we are is friends. Great friends."

"You forgot to mention the benefits that come along with that."

He laughed. "I know. But again, it has to end."

Parvati asked, "But does it really, Ezra? I mean, think about this. We're already in a sort-of relationship. We care about each other. Maybe someday it could evolve into something more if we allowed it."

"I'm not doubting that could happen, but it simply can't. I'm twenty-six, you're seventeen. I'm your teacher, you're my student."

"At the end of the year I won't be."

"I know. And with any luck, at the end of the year, you and mystery man will be in a fantastic relationship, head over heels in love."

Parvati snorted. "Yeah, right."

He sighed. "Is he still dating the same person as before?"

She nodded, and Professor Flaherty leaned back in his chair. "Why won't you tell me who he is?" When she said nothing, he continued. "What's the big deal?"

Parvati surrendered. "Because if I tell you who he is, that makes it real! It makes it official that I really do have feelings for this guy. I won't be able to ignore it anymore!"

"So? What's the harm in that? I just don't understand why you're putting so much energy into ignoring legitimate feelings."

Parvati stood up. "Look at me, Ezra! I'm Parvati Patil! I don't date people! I _insult_ people who date and get involved in relationships. _I'm not supposed to fall for anybody!"_

"Well, guess what? You did!" he said to her in almost a scolding manner. "You're human, Parvati. You aren't invincible to feeling something other than anger or jealousy! You're capable of caring. You're capable of love!"

"But I don't want to be!"

"Why not?"

"Because who could ever love me back? Honestly! Who could ever fall for me? I'm a cold, heartless slag, and everyone knows it! Even you know it, Ezra!" She felt the tears begin to swarm in her eyes but she fought them with all of her might.

Professor Flaherty sighed. He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't ever say that about yourself. Do you hear me? You _are_ a special person, Parvati. You just have to stop wallowing in self pity when other people are happy. You can be happy, too, but you have to be willing to try." He pulled her into a hug.

"Now, listen to me," he said. "I'm pulling the plug on this. We can't do this anymore."

Parvati pulled away from him abruptly. "What do you mean?"

"This…thing we have. We can't keep this up. I know we started this as a way to mend our broken hearts, but I fear now that it may end up causing more damage than aid."

"But we can still be friends, can't we?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'll always be here for you. That's not over, I can assure you."

She shrugged, sighing. "You're probably right, though. It more than likely is for the best."

Professor Flaherty smiled. "Now, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course."

"Who's mystery man?"

"I think it's time for me to go to bed. Good night."

He sighed, but chuckled at the same time. "I wouldn't have expected anything less from you. Good night. I'll see you after the holidays."

* * *

Hermione slept later than usual on Christmas morning. When she woke, she was in no hurry to leave the comfort of her bed, or the comfort of the man who was holding her tight. She simply watched Ron sleep. He was breathing slowly and lightly, but not snoring. He looked so peaceful. _I could never hurt this man. Ever,_ she thought.

She looked across the room at the small Christmas tree she had placed next to her desk. She smiled sleepily when she saw the pile of presents laying around it. Despite how comfortable she was, she couldn't help but feel the urge to get up and start unwrapping. She kissed Ron lightly on the cheek, and when he still didn't budge, she quietly giggled and slithered out of bed. She sat on the floor next to the tree, smiling as she opened each present and read all of the cards.

When she was nearly finished, there was one small package left at the back of the tree, and she had no idea who it could be from. She had already opened presents from Ron, Harry, Ginny, Parvati, Lavender, her parents, and Mrs. Weasley. When she opened it, she was surprised to see what it was. It was a book, but not the kind she usually received as gifts. It was a leather-bound, hardcover copy of Jane Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_. There was no card, so she flipped through the pages. A folded piece of paper fell out onto her lap that had her name on it. She recognized the handwriting from all the times she had looked over his work in the library. It was Anthony's.

"Morning, love," a sleepy voice said from the other side of the room. Ron was awake. "Merry Christmas."

Hermione quickly tucked the note back into the book. "Good morning."

Ron hopped out of Hermione's bed to join her next to the tree. He caught sight of the book. "_Pride and Prejudice?_ Isn't that a Muggle story?"

"Well, I _am_ a Muggleborn, Ronald. I do enjoy non-magical reads from time to time."

"Who's it from?"

"My mom and dad," she lied. She couldn't be honest and say it was from Anthony. It was such a beautiful edition of the book; it wasn't the type of gift one would give to 'just a friend'.

"I guess that's better than what I get from my parents. What color will the sweater be this year, d'you think? Green? Blue, maybe?"

Hermione held up her own Weasley sweater that she had just unwrapped. "Well, mine is purple. But yours? Maroon again for sure," Hermione laughed as Ron gave her a playful smack on the shoulder. She continued, "Go find out. I have to change, but I'll meet you in the common room in a few minutes and then we can get some breakfast. Harry's probably wondering where you are, anyway."

"Are you kidding? Seamus, Dean, and Neville have all gone home for Christmas. He must have been thrilled to have the dormitory all to himself!"

"I'm sure he would have preferred being able to share it with Luna, but she went home too."

Ron nodded. "You're probably right." He rose to his feet. "I'll see you in a few minutes, then."

After Ron left the room, Hermione took the note out of the book's pages again. She was eager to read it, but wasn't sure if she should. After all, it's content may have been something that would distract her all day. She wanted to focus solely on Ron, especially on Christmas. Making up her mind, she tucked the note inside the front cover and put the book into one of her desk drawers. She would read it later. Satisfied, she selected her comfiest pair of jeans from her dresser, threw on her brand new Weasley sweater, and headed out to the common room to enjoy the holiday with some of her fellow Gryffindors.

* * *

Parvati and Lavender were sitting contently by the fire, each holding a cup of tea. They were enjoying the emptiness of the common room, as nearly all of their classmates had gone home for the week. Lavender had just happily shown Parvati her favorite Christmas gift: a stunning, silver charm bracelet from Seamus.

"Are you still upset about him going home without you?" Parvati asked.

Lavender shrugged. "It's a bit of a downer, but looking at the circumstances, I can't justify being upset. I'm more upset that his Christmas is going to be so gloomy."

"Ah, cheer up. At least me, Hermione, and Ginny are here to keep you company."

Lavender snorted. "Just you and Hermione, really. I went to Ginny's dormitory earlier to see if she was coming down today. She won't come out of her room. Said she wasn't feeling well."

_Not feeling well again?__ Well, isn't that interesting,_ Parvati thought. It amused her that Lavender suspected nothing about Ginny's odd behavior. She figured she was too focused on missing Seamus.

"Hello, ladies," Hermione said. She had changed into her regular clothes, and laughed when she saw that Lavender and Parvati were still in their pajamas. "Lazy today, are we?"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione, it's Christmas!" Lavender said jokingly. "I don't know about you two, but I have no desire to leave to common room today. Or to change out of these comfy pajamas, for that matter."

"Me neither," Parvati said.

"Hey, what a coincidence! Neither do we!" Ron said cheerfully as he and Harry emerged from the entryway to the boys' staircase. Parvati was suddenly self-conscious about her appearance, but was amused by the fact that they, too, had opted to remain in their loungewear. They pulled a couple of chairs up, forming a circle, and plopped down into them.

"Trust Hermione to bring down the party," Harry sniggered. "Seriously, what were you thinking? Go back to your room and change."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, you know perfectly well that I don't think it's proper to wear…"

"…regular clothes on a snowy Christmas day when we have all of Gryffindor Tower to ourselves?" Ron finished for her, laughing. "Yes, we know. That's why we're insisting that you change immediately."

Hermione was dumbfounded when she realized Lavender and Parvati were laughing, clearly siding with Harry and Ron. "Oh, fine. But somebody go get Ginny."

"Yeah, were is she?" Ron asked. "She's usually the first one awake on Christmas."

"She won't come down. She's sick," Parvati informed him.

Harry stood up. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this. I'll get her to come to her senses and come down." He walked over to the girls' staircase and began to climb, and was immediately defeated when the stairs turned into a slide and he went flying into the stone wall below. Ron and Parvati howled with laughter, while Lavender got up to help.

"This is something I learned from Seamus." She held out her hand, which he took. She lead him upstairs, and nothing happened. Catching his inquiring look, she said, "We figured out that if a boy is holding a girl's hand as he is climbing, it is understood to be an invitation. If he is wanted in the dormitory, the stairs won't turn."

"Interesting. I'll kill Seamus for never telling me, though. See you in a bit," Harry said. He proceeded down the hall to the sixth year girls' dormitory while Lavender skipped back down the stairs.

* * *

Ginny was lying on her side in her bed with her back to the door. She was wearing the necklace Draco had given her and was twirling the heart pendant in her fingers. She missed him so much. Lavender had been by earlier to ask why she wasn't in the common room. Ginny had said she wasn't feeling well, which was partially true. Physically, she felt fine. It was her heart that was hurting. The fact that is was Lavender, of all people, who came to get her this morning is what made her feel bad. She had sounded so happy - Ginny assumed she had gotten a beautiful gift from Seamus. _What a prat,_ Ginny thought.

When she heard a knock, she assumed it was either Ron or one of her friends. She mumbled, "If you're Lavender of Parvati, I'm not letting you in. You know I'm sick."

"What if it's Harry?" the voice outside the door said.

Ginny turned over and looked at her door, bewildered. She wonder how he had gotten up there, and more importantly, why he was there in the first place.

"Come on in," she mumbled. She sat up on her bed.

Harry stepped in and closed the door behind him. He smiled when he saw her. "Oh good, you haven't changed. You'll fit right in at our pajama party downstairs." He sat down in one of her classmate's desk chairs.

"Harry, I'm not going down there."

"Why not? What's wrong?"

It was between the guilt and the heartache, so Ginny went with the guilt. She sighed. "Promise not to say anything?"

Harry nodded. "Of course."

"Say you knew a secret that would devastate your best friend if you told them. Would you say anything, or would you keep it quiet?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess that depends on the type of secret. If it's minor and isn't really relevant, I wouldn't bother. But if it's something big, they would deserve to know. I'd tell them when the time was right."

Ginny figured he would say something like that, and she hated to admit it, but he was right. She had no right to keep Seamus's infidelity a secret from Lavender. And so what if it meant he would tell people about her and Draco? They were planning to tell people anyway.

_I'll wait until after Christmas, though,_ Ginny thought. _I won't ruin her holiday. _

"So are you coming down?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No thanks, Harry. I feel kind of weird today."

"Weird, huh?" He gestured toward her necklace. "It wouldn't have anything to do with that, now, would it?"

Ginny brought her hand up toward her neck, touching the chain which rested there. "My necklace? What about it?"

"When I was still at Privet Drive, I noticed a lot of things. On one of my aunt's birthdays, my uncle gave her a necklace similar to that, only not as lovely. It had her birthstone, his, and my cousin's. He said it was called a family necklace."

_Damn it_, Ginny thought. _He caught me. He knows._

"So why would you, Ginny, be wearing a family necklace with only three stones? The last time I checked, there were nine people in your family. Ten if you count Fleur."

Ginny leaned her head back against her wall, wishing Harry would just leave and ask no more questions.

"Please don't say anything. Especially not to Ron."

"Of course I won't, Ginny. It's not my place to say anything. You can tell him on your own terms." The pair were quiet for a minute until Harry finally broke the silence again.

"Whose is it?"

"The necklace? Mine."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course not the necklace. The baby. Who's the father?"

"I don't want to tell you just yet," Ginny whispered.

Harry shrugged. "Fair enough. Now, are you really not feeling well, or are you just wallowing in sadness because the person who gave you that necklace is home for the holidays?"

Ginny smiled. "The latter."

"That's what I thought. Nothing that we can't fix. Come on. You deserve to enjoy the holiday. Come down with me and join what I'm sure will be a great party."

Ginny considered it and decided she may as well. It was Christmas, after all. Harry was right - why not indulge in a little bit of fun? She could do that without Draco.

"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said with a smile. "Not just for coming up here, but for not saying anything about…you know. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime. Now come watch me go up against Ron in wizard's chess and lose for the thousandth time."

* * *

At the end of the night, Hermione went to her room with a smile on her face and happiness in her heart. She, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati had a great day. It was a day filled with wizard's chess, Christmas cookies, pillow fights, exploding snap, roasted marshmallows, and lots of laughs. She was not sure when the butterbeer had showed up, nor did she know which of them supplied it, but it had served is purpose. She only drank one, and Ginny, of course, did not have any. However, the two of them had a great time watching Ron, Harry, Lavender, and Parvati get giggly and clumsy.

She was so exhausted that she didn't want to put in the effort to change, so the pajamas had turned out to be a good idea. Hermione made a mental note to thank Harry and Ron the next day. She climbed into bed and sighed contently. She didn't remember ever being so grateful for a pillow and blanket. Then she remembered Anthony's note. She glanced over at the desk drawer where she had tucked the book away. She was ever so tempted to get it, but she was so comfortable in her bed. Her mind told her to get up and read the letter, but her body screamed for her to stay in bed and wait until morning.

If it were any other person, the body's pleas would have won. But when it came to Hermione, her mind always prevailed. She rose from her bed to retrieve the letter. She turned on the small lamp on her desk, which stung her eyes briefly as they adjusted to the light. She tore open the letter and was surprised to see that it wasn't as brief as she'd expected.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Happy Christmas! I hope you like the book. More importantly, though, I hope you don't already own it. I've always assumed that you already own enough books to start your own library._

_I remembered you mentioning once that you do not get to read for pleasure as much as you'd like. You said that there were so many Muggle novels that you wanted to read but never have the time for (not to mention they're hard to come by in the wizarding world). I ventured into Muggle London to find this one. I can't even begin to tell you how out of place I felt. I came across a small bookshop, and asked the bookseller for recommendations. He told me that Jane Austen is one of the most prominent classic English writers and that this was her most famous work. The bookseller even told me it was made into a movie. Mind you, I don't know what that means, but I'm assuming it is something remarkable. Nonetheless, I do hope you enjoy it._

_This isn't just a Christmas gift - it is also a peace offering. I feel terrible about what I put you through. I should have never come on to you like that while I knew you had a boyfriend, but I couldn't help myself. You're a truly beautiful person, Hermione, inside and out. It will take a lot for me to stop feeling so attracted to you. I know that is no excuse for what I did, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I'd love it if we can continue to be friends. I don't want things to be awkward between us. Even if I cannot have you as a girlfriend, I couldn't bear to lose you as a friend. We've grown quite close over the past few months and I cherish that. Who knows - maybe someday we can grow to be more than friends, but for now I'd like to continue what we have, if it's okay with you._

_Again, I'm sorry, and I wish you the very best for Christmas. I'll see you after the holidays._

_Love, Anthony_

Hermione did not know what to think when she finished the letter. She read it over four more times and that only seemed to confuse her more. She didn't know whether to be cheerful, upset, discouraged, or flattered. Being honest with herself, she realized she was a mixture of all of them.

_Great. My feelings have been complicated once again,_ Hermione thought as she climbed back into her bed. She thought she had made progress over the past few days in regards to setting her mind straight about Ron, but now that was completely thrown out the window. She was back to thinking about Anthony again. Hermione tried to sleep, but instead her mind kept her awake, forcing her to think.

_I knew I should have waited until morning to read that bloody letter._

* * *

**Authors Note:** I know this chapter was somewhat less-exciting than others - sorry! But it's a bridge chapter that had to be done, and hopefully the next one will make up for it. If you're a sucker for lots of drama, Chapter Eight should be a real treat. Let's just say that there will be some tears, confessions, and plenty of Ron/Hermione/Anthony madness! XD Keep those reviews coming, everyone! I love 'em!


	9. Hysteria

_**Chapter 8 - Hysteria**_

Parvati was relaxing in the Gryffindor common room on the first Friday evening after classes had resumed. In her opinion, the holiday break went by way too fast. Before she knew it, the corridors of Hogwarts were swarming with students once again and the common room was back to its loud, obnoxious self. She wanted the break to have lasted longer. She wished it could have lasted another day, or even just another hour. Parvati had enjoyed herself so much during that week, even with Professor Flaherty's absence. She did not think that would have happened, but somehow it did.

Once she had learned Harry was staying at Hogwarts for the break while Luna was going home, Parvati had fully intended on taking advantage of that. She had anticipated going through with her plan, even though Draco had been a miss. She thought that if Harry did not have Luna to focus on, there was a chance she could win him over, if only for one night. However, Professor Flaherty had convinced her otherwise. Thanks to him, Parvati second-guessed if it was even worth going through with the plan anymore. Even if she had tried and succeeded, she wasn't sure if the outcome would have satisfied her.

Instead, she had somehow managed to get more acquainted with Harry. There was one night during the week when everyone else had gone to bed, and they stayed up in the common room sitting by the fire, talking and drinking chamomile tea. She hadn't realized until that night that despite knowing him for seven years, she never really _knew_ him. She had known him as the Boy Who Lived, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team seeker and captain, the best friend of Ron and Hermione, and the one who defeated Voldemort at fifteen years old. Now, Parvati knew tons about him. He wanted to become an Auror. He enjoyed being a seeker, but he would love to be a beater. He secretly liked to read novels. His horrible childhood still haunted him, and because of it, he wanted to adopt a child someday so he could spare him or her years of feeling unwanted. And he was still unconditionally in love with Luna.

She knew Professor Flaherty had been right in saying that sleeping around wouldn't fill the gaping hole in her heart. After talking with Harry, she knew he was right. He had love in his life; he made her realize how much she wanted it, too.

_So what do I do now?_ Parvati thought. She gave it some consideration. Whenever she didn't know what to do, she went to Professor Flaherty. Had he actually meant what he said about staying friends, even though sleeping together wasn't part of the picture anymore? _Well, there's only one way to find out, I guess. _She grabbed her sweater and headed out into the corridors.

* * *

Ginny was standing outside of the 7th year girls' dormitory in nervous state for two reasons. One was because, in about a half an hour, she would be down in the hospital wing facing her parents. Tonight was the night she was going to tell them about Draco and the baby. The second reason was because she was about to inform Lavender about her encounter with Seamus and Hannah. Ginny knew the news would absolutely devastate Lavender, but she felt that the longer she waited to tell her, the worse it would be.

She took one final, deep breath before knocking on the dormitory door. She was relieved when it was Lavender who answered and she could see that no one else occupied the room.

"Hi, Gin!" Lavender said happily. She was smiling as bright as day, and this only made Ginny feel worse.

"Hey, Lav. Mind if I come in?"

"Oh, please do!" Lavender said, still smiling. She stepped aside so Ginny could come in. Ginny took a seat in Lavender's desk chair, while Lavender flopped down on her bed.

"I'm glad you came up here. I've been meaning to ask you something," Lavender said.

"Oh? What about?"

"Well, I've noticed your necklace. It's very pretty. Is it from Draco?"

Ginny nodded and brought her hand up to her chest to touch the pendant that resided there. She was worried as to where this was going.

"Yes. It was a Christmas gift."

Lavender continued to smile. "I really like it. I was wondering if it had any sort of significance?"

_Damn it. I have to stop wearing this thing,_ Ginny thought.

"Why do you ask?"

Lavender shrugged. "I don't know. I couldn't help but notice how often you're in the hospital wing lately, and that you didn't have any butterbeer on Christmas. And Draco gave you a beautiful necklace with not two, but three stones on it."

Ginny rolled your eyes. She couldn't believe it. First Harry, now Lavender? She would have to scold Draco later for giving her a gift that, regardless of how fantastic it was, made their situation so obvious. _Maybe that was his intention all along._

"How long have you known?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't know, I only suspected." Lavender smirked. "So it's true? You and Draco are having a baby?"

Ginny had to smile. "Yes, we are."

Lavender squealed. "That's great! And don't worry, I won't say anything. I'm assuming you both haven't told anyone yet."

Ginny laughed. "No, we haven't. So thank you."

"Is he excited? Are _you_ excited?"

"Well, we're nervous, of course, but yes. It's going to be hard, but we're really happy about it."

"Ah, that's great, Gin. It really is. Do we have a possible wedding to look forward to, then?"

Ginny actually had not thought about that. For some reason, the idea of marriage never made it's way into her head, probably because their relationship was still relatively young.

"Er, well…I guess it's possible. We haven't really talked about it."

"Ah, I'm sure you two will in time." Lavender leaned her back against the wall. "I can't wait until Seamus and I get married."

Ginny felt her heart sink. She got so wrapped up in discussing her life, she had completely forgotten the reason she had come to the dormitory in the first place.

"Lavender, I actually came up here to talk to you about Seamus. There's something…" she paused, taking a breath, "…something you should know."

Lavender titled her head a bit, but she didn't look worried. She probably assumed it was something good.

"What is it?"

Ginny didn't waste any time. She had done enough of that already. "I was in the Room of Requirement with Draco one night a couple of weeks ago. Seamus showed up. He…"

"He was what?"

Ginny sighed. "He was with Hannah Abbott. I'm so sorry, Lav."

Lavender stared at Ginny for a moment, then burst out laughing. Ginny had been anticipating a variety of reactions from her friend - crying, screaming, doubt, rage, even complete silence - but laughter was not one of them.

"Are you mental?" Lavender said after she caught her breath. "That's not possible. Hannah is dating Terry Boot, and Seamus is dating me. He loves me."

"I wish I _was_ mental, Lavender. But it's true. He was sneaking around with Hannah. I really, _really _wish I was lying to you."

"But you _are_ lying to me, Ginny." Lavender stood up. "You don't know what you're talking about! Seamus would never do such a thing. He loves me, okay? _He loves me_. We're going to get a house together once we graduate Hogwarts. We're going to get married in a beautiful rose garden in the springtime. We're going to have children, lots of them. We're going to be together forever!"

Lavender was completely blinded to the truth, and Ginny could tell. "Lavender, just sit down and we'll talk -"

"I am NOT going to sit down!" Lavender yelled. "Seamus would NEVER cheat on me! Why would you tell me these lies, Ginny? We're supposed to be friends!"

"We _are _friends, Lav, that's why I -"

"Oh, but clearly we're not! A friend doesn't talk complete and utter trash about another friend's boyfriend, and to her face no less! Friends don't lie to each other!"

"I'm not -"

Lavender ignored her. "What's the matter, Ginny? Draco knocked you up and left you?"

"What the hell, Lav? That's ab-"

"He found out you were up the pole and left you, didn't he? Didn't he? And now you're upset because you're all alone and pregnant. You want to mess up MY relationship because you're jealous? Jealous because Seamus would never, ever leave me?"

"No! I'm only trying to -"

"Well guess what, Ginny, that's NOT going to happen. I love Seamus and he loves me." Tears were flowing from her eyes now, and her face was red with anger. "My goodness, you're just like Parvati, trying to sabotage other peoples' happiness when things don't go your way. That's not going to work with me, you hear me? Seamus and I are MEANT TO BE!" And with that, Lavender stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

Ginny stared at the door, flabbergasted. _Well, that went well...  
_

_

* * *

_

Hermione was relaxing in the common room. She was waiting for Ginny, as she would be going with her to meet up with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before her prefect rounds. She was somewhat concerned about rounds this evening, as it would be her first time seeing Anthony since before Christmas. The first time seeing him since she received that beautiful book (which she had already read twice) and the even more beautiful letter. The first time seeing him since she turned him away.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard thunderous steps coming from the girls dormitories. Before she could even process this, a teary and outraged Lavender came flying through the archway, heading for the portrait hole.

"Lavender, what's the matter?" Hermione called after her, bewildered.

"Ask Ginny!" she shouted. She proceeded to storm through the portrait hole and was out of sight in an instant.

As if on cue, Ginny emerged from the girls dormitories. "Where'd Lavender go?"

Hermione shrugged. "No idea. What was that all about?"

Ginny glanced at the common room's giant grandfather clock. "Come on, we're late. I'll tell you on the way."

As the two girls walked along the corridors toward the hospital wing, Ginny told Hermione everything from the incident with Seamus to her recent talk with Lavender.

"What a daft prick!" Hermione exclaimed. "How could he do that to her? She's so good to him!"

"I know. I couldn't believe it either. Neither can Lavender, apparently," Ginny grimaced.

"She's in denial; she'll come around. Don't let it get to you. I'm sure she didn't mean anything she said."

"I know. I've got bigger things to worry about though," she sighed. They had arrived at the hospital wing. "Thanks for coming with me tonight, Hermione. I really didn't want to do this alone. Draco offered to come, but I figured it'd be best if he didn't."

"No need to thank me. I'm happy to."

"I just don't want you to be late for your prefect rounds. If you need to leave now, I'll understand."

Hermione shook her head. "It's okay. I owled Anthony earlier and told him to meet me here instead of the library tonight. I just hope he got the message."

Ginny nodded. "Well, here goes nothing. Shall we?"

Hermione smiled reassuringly, and they walked into the hospital wing. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already there with Madame Pomfrey.

"Ginny! Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as they entered. She sped over to the pair and threw her arms around both of them. "It's wonderful to see you, my dears. How is the school year going?"

"Great," Hermione lied.

"Well, come sit down. Arthur and I have been eager to hear what this is about."

Madame Pomfrey got up from her chair to leave. "I'll give the four of you some privacy."

Mr. Weasley looked at Ginny and Hermione. "We ran into Harry in the corridors on our way down here, but have yet to see Ron. Where is he?"

"He, er…well, you'll see him later, I'm sure," Hermione said.

"So, Ginny, my dear, are you okay? Madame Pomfrey stated in her letter that this was an urgent matter," Mrs. Weasley said.

Hermione gave her a reassuring nod, and after a deep breath, Ginny told her parents everything. She told them about first starting to become friends with Draco, and how that friendship evolved into something more. She told them how she had been secretly writing to him throughout the previous summer. She told them about falling in love with him. And, lastly, she told them how she had been carrying his baby for the last three months. Hermione held her hand tightly the entire time as Mrs. Weasley became paler and Mr. Weasley's fists clenched tighter, whitening his knuckles.

After Ginny finished telling her story, there was a minute in which no one spoke. Mrs. Weasley broke the silence by asking, "Are you keeping the baby?"

Ginny nodded nervously. "Yes. Draco and I discussed it." She looked at Mr. Weasley, who was staring at the ground. "Dad? Are you okay?"

He was clearly shocked. "I just can't believe that _my _baby is having one of her own."

"You're pregnant?" came a quiet voice from the entrance to the hospital wing. Everyone turned to see Ron, who had a look of utter disbelief painted upon his face.

"Ron?" Hermione asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Harry told me he saw my parents earlier, so I went looking for them. I ran into Madame Pomfrey, who said they were here." He stared at Hermione. "Can I see you outside for a minute?"

Hermione looked at Ginny, who nodded. Hermione gave Ginny and her parents a brief, half-hearted smile before leaving the hospital wing with Ron. They stood in the empty corridor.

"How long have you known about this?" Ron asked. He seemed rather calm considering the situation at hand. _The calm before the storm,_ Hermione thought.

"She told me as soon as she found out. It's been a little over a month, maybe more."

"More than a month," he repeated, nodding. He looked into her eyes. "So why didn't you tell me?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry. Ginny asked me not to. It wasn't my place to say anything."

"Like hell it wasn't!" Ron bellowed. Hermione had expected the yelling to start eventually_. _"If my little sister is pregnant, I have every right to know! How could you keep something like that from me?"

"Ron, like I said, it was NOT my place to tell you! It was Ginny's! She wanted to tell you when she was ready."

"Who's is it then?"

"What?"

"The baby! Who's is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron. That's for Ginny to say, not me."

"I don't understand you, Hermione. We're in a relationship. We're a team! We're not supposed to keep secrets from each other!"

"It wasn't my secret to tell! It never has been!"

"Um, hi," came a voice from behind them. Hermione and Ron spun around to see Anthony Goldstein. He held up a piece of paper. "I got your message to meet you here, Hermione. Is this a bad time?"

"Obviously," Ron remarked angrily.

Hermione glared at Ron, then turned to Anthony. "I'm sorry. I'll meet you at the library in a few minutes, okay?"

As Anthony left, Ron turned toward Hermione. He said quietly, "So that's it, then? You're sneaking around with Anthony, aren't you?"

"What? No! That's absurd, Ron!"

"Then what was he doing, with a message in _your_ handwriting, telling him to meet you here?"

"We have prefect rounds tonight!" Hermione exclaimed. "I knew I'd be here with Ginny, so I told him to meet me here instead of the library."

"Oh, so he knows about Ginny, too, then? You told him, but you couldn't tell me? I'm her brother, Hermione! I'm your boyfriend! Or am I even that anymore?"

Hermione was beginning to get teary-eyed. "Of course you are, Ron! I love you! I never told him about Ginny! I know this looks bad -"

"No, Hermione. It doesn't _look _bad, it _is _bad." He started to back away from her. "We're done. You, me, this…it's over."

Hermione was crying now, pleading with him. "Ron, no! Don't do this, please!"

Ron had tears in his eyes, too. _"_You're keeping secrets from me, and that's bad enough. But you're sneaking around with another guy, too? That's unforgivable. I can't believe you, Hermione. I'm disgusted." He turned around and walked away.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled after him, tears racing down her face. She didn't care if someone might hear her. "RON!"

He never looked back.

* * *

Professor Flaherty was already in the abandoned classroom on the fourth floor when Parvati arrived. He greeted her with a smile.

"I'm sorry we haven't been able to meet until now. The first week back has been quite chaotic," he sighed. "How was your holiday break?"

"It was…" Parvati paused, trying to find the right word, "…interesting."

"Interesting?"

"It was just a week with friends, that's all."

He laughed, smirking. "Mystery man wouldn't happen to be one of the friends you spent the week with, would he?"

"Oh, shut up."

"So he was, then! How'd that go? Did you talk to him?"

"About dating? No. We talked about other things, though."

He sat down across from her, folding his arms on the desk. "How did the other thing go, then?"

Parvati titled her head. "What do you mean?"

"Your plan. You said you would be pursuing Mr. Potter. I advised you not to. Did you listen?"

Parvati reluctantly replied, "Yes." She wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Well, well, after five months, I finally got you to listen to me," he laughed. "That's good, though."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "It wasn't just you though, Ezra. After talking with him, I decided that a one-night stand wouldn't cure my feelings for him."

As soon as the words escaped her lips, her eyes widened. She realized what she had done. _Damn it!_ she thought. She hoped he had not heard her properly, but the look on his face clearly stated that he had understood every word.

Professor Flaherty eyed her curiously. "Why would pursuing Mr. Potter have anything to do with your feelings?"

Parvati tried to brush it off as if it was nothing. "No, what I meant was-"

He cut her off. "Unless Mr. Potter _is_ mystery man. Is he?" When she said nothing, he continued, "He is, isn't he?"

Parvati rose from her chair in a huff. "Yes, damn it! Okay? Are you happy now? It's Harry." There were tears welling up in her eyes. "The whole reason I started this plan of mine was so I could have an excuse to try to be with him. I knew he had a girlfriend. Attempting to pursue him in the conventional way would have made me look like a fool. I had to cover my true intentions somehow. This was the only way I could think of to get to him without looking like I wanted more."

"But you _do_ want more, Parvati. Did you honestly think sleeping with him once would make your feelings for him go away?"

"At the time, yes! It worked on other crushes I had."

"Crushes, Parvati. _Crushes._ There's a big difference between a crush and what you feel for Mr. Potter."

She looked at him straight in the eyes. "And talking with him over the holiday break only made it worse. Getting to know him is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done. It's only made me care for him even more."

Professor Flaherty sighed. "But he still has his girlfriend. Right?"

She nodded.

"He loves her?"

"He says he does."

Professor Flaherty was speechless for a moment. When he spoke, it was quiet.

"I really don't know what to say to that, Parvati. I'm all out of answers. I've had to deal with unrequited love before. I know how much it hurts."

Parvati snorted. "As if."

"Trust me, I do. Her name was Shannon. I swooned over her for a good couple of years, despite the fact that she was my best friend's girl. I was the best man at their wedding. I watched Shannon, the girl I wished were my own, marry my best friend."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "That's very touching, but is there a point to this?"

"The point is that love can surprise you. While at the reception, I met one of Shannon's cousins. That cousin was Genevieve. My girlfriend. We met at that wedding three years ago, and she and I have been together ever since."

While Parvati thought about what he said, he continued. "Everything happens for a reason. For the longest time, I thought I would end up with Shannon. I tormented myself with thoughts about her for years, only to discover Genevieve and realize Shannon was not for me. I know right now you're hurting about Mr. Potter, but perhaps he really isn't your soul mate."

"Well, then who is, Ezra?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You'll find out in time, I'm sure of it. Love surprises us all, Parvati. It's unexpected, and we often find it when we aren't looking for it. Take me as an example. I met Genevieve at the wedding of who I thought was the love of my life. And here we are, three years later, about to begin planning a wedding of our own."

Parvati looked taken aback. "What? You're marrying Genevieve? Since when?"

"Since last week. I proposed to her on Christmas."

"Well isn't that just _fantastic,_" Parvati said sarcastically. "After I pour my heart out to you about how I can't have the man I want, you throw this at me?"

"Genevieve and I are getting married. How is that throwing something at you?"

"Oh, I don't know, Ezra. Perhaps because you and I have been shagging each other for the past few months?"

"And we ended that before the break, remember?"

Parvati scowled. "So that's why you did it! Now I understand. It was because you were planning to propose to Genevieve. It was never about my feelings. It was because you wanted to ask her to marry you without feeling guilty!"

"No, Parvati, that's not true at all! I _was_ concerned about your feelings!"

"Yeah, I've heard that one before," she remarked. She left the room without another word. All she had on her mind was a large bottle of butterbeer all for herself.

* * *

_Why would Ginny be so cruel? _Lavender thought. _How could she say such awful things about Seamus? It must be because Draco left her. It HAS to be._

She was storming aimlessly through the empty corridors in a rage. It was late, and she knew she ought to be in her dormitory, but she had to try to cool down her nerves. Also, Lavender didn't want to be anywhere near Ginny at the moment.

Though she had a nagging feeling in her heart to trust Ginny and look further into her accusation, she ignored it. After all, how could it be true? Seamus had given her the most beautiful bracelet for Christmas; why would he buy something so expensive for a girlfriend he was cheating on? It made no sense in Lavender's mind. She even recalled asking Seamus a while back if he had been cheating on her, and he had said no.

_Well, he didn't actually say no. He told you to trust him,_ she thought. _But that pretty much meant no. Didn't it?_

Lavender snapped out of her thoughts when she heard voices further down the corridor. They were coming closer. In a panic, thinking it may be teachers, she ducked into an empty classroom to wait until they passed by. When she heard what they were saying, however, she knew it couldn't possibly be teachers. It was two students, a boy and a girl, and it sounded as if they were arguing. Lavender stood just inside the doorway so she could hear everything without being noticed.

"I never meant to hurt you! You know that!" the girl said. There was a tone of pleading in her voice.

The boy snapped back. "Yeah? You sure have a funny way of showing it!"

"I'm so sorry! I really am! It will never happen again, I swear!"

"You're damn right it won't! You won't have to worry about it anymore, because we're finished!"

The girl gasped. "You don't actually mean that?"

"Yes, I do! Give me one good reason why I should stick around."

"Because I care about you! I want this to work out!" The girl continued pleading with the boy. "Please, don't do this to me…"

The boy laughed, but it wasn't a cheerful laugh; it was filled with hurt. "Don't do this to _you?_ You're joking, right? This is _your_ fault, not mine."

"I know, and I feel awful about it! But I don't want it to ruin us. It was a mistake, a horrible mistake!" She was crying.

"A mistake, eh? Let me guess. He called it off. He broke it off, so you want things to be okay between you and I. I'm your second guy, your last resort. Is that it?"

"No, it's not that at all! I care about you, Terry."

"Well, if you cared about me, you wouldn't have been shagging another guy behind my back!" Terry yelled. "I want nothing to do with a slag. And you, Hannah, are just that: a slag. Stay away from me. Have a nice life."

Lavender heard Hannah run down the corridor in tears, but Terry lingered behind. She peeked around the doorway and saw him leaning against the wall. He was not crying, but the despair in his eyes was unfathomable. His hands were clenched into tight fists, turning his knuckles white. He was breathing heavily, clearly trying to regain his composure. He mumbled something about never finding a nice girl, then began to slowly walk down the corridor with his hands in his pockets and his head hung in grief.

When he was out of sight, Lavender fully emerged from the corridor. She could not believe what she had just heard. The only thing she knew was that the anguish she had seen in Terry's eyes matched what she currently felt in her heart. She didn't want to believe Ginny when she had said Seamus was sneaking around with Hannah, but now she had no choice. What she just heard confirmed it. The pieces all fell into place at once. Hannah cheated on Terry, which meant Seamus had cheated on Lavender. The two of them cheated together.

Lavender thought she might faint. She was feeling so many things at once. She felt remorse for yelling at Ginny. She felt ashamed for not believing her friend. She felt worthless for being the victim of an affair. She felt sympathetic for Terry because she knew the pain he was experiencing. But more than anything, she felt stupid. Stupid for trusting Seamus, for ignoring her suspicions, and for allowing her judgment to become so clouded just because of her feelings. She felt stupid for ever falling for Seamus to begin with.

Oddly enough, she did not cry. She was too shocked, too heartbroken, to have an immediate reaction. She calmly walked back to Gryffindor Tower with a pale face and a heavy heart.

* * *

Hermione was an emotional wreck as she walked toward the library. The falling tears had ceased, but her face and eyes were still red and puffy. Her mind was a melting pot of confusion, grief, and anger.

She was furious with Ron for the way he had acted outside of the hospital wing. She attempted to justify his actions by looking at things from his perspective. She had to admit that the timing of the evening's events had been horrendous. Within two minutes, he had learned that he was going to be an uncle and was given the impression that his girlfriend had been unfaithful.

_I probably would have reacted the same way, right?_ she thought.

But Hermione shook these thoughts away. She couldn't forgive him - she didn't _want_ to. It wasn't her fault that Ginny was pregnant, nor that she had respected her friend's wishes by keeping the secret. It also wasn't her fault that he assumed she had cheated on him. She tried to explain to him why Anthony was there, but he refused to listen. _That's his fault, NOT mine._

Hermione had hoped the lengthy walk to the library would have helped to calm her down, but it seemed to do the opposite. The thinking she had done on her way only seemed to irritate her further, and evidently it was noticeable.

"Is everything okay?" Anthony asked as she approached him.

"Yes," Hermione lied.

He sighed. "We both know that isn't true, Hermione. I know you were fighting with Ron. What happened?"

She felt the tears swarming in her eyes, threatening to fall, but she refused to allow them. "It's nothing, really."

"He didn't…" he paused briefly. "He didn't attack you or anything did he?"

"Goodness, no! We just…had a bit of a row."

"Well, I could see that."

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry. It's complicated. We just…never mind."

Anthony nodded sympathetically. "If you need to skip rounds tonight, I'll understand. I'll take care of them if you want to head back to your dormitory."

"No, but thank you. I don't want to be alone right now."

"Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Hermione shook her head. "Not right now. Let's just walk, okay?"

"Okay. But if you decide you want to talk about it, I'm ready to listen."

Hermione stared at him, wondering why he was always so nice to her. After all, what had she ever done to deserve it? All she seemed to do was break the poor bloke's heart. For Hermione, it was nice to be around someone who doesn't break down and go completely mental when life has a hiccup. The pair walked together in complete silence, and Hermione felt her nerves begin to relax.

* * *

Ginny was relieved to finally leave the hospital wing and head back to her dormitory. She wished she could have been going to see Draco, but he had somehow managed to land detention with Professor McGonagall that evening.

After the initial shock, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had accepted the news rather quickly. Ginny knew they weren't exactly pleased for obvious reasons, but they were truly supportive. Mrs. Weasley had already begun to think up ideas for a baby shower; this would be her first grandchild, after all. They had even asked her if she would like to invite Draco to the Burrow for the Easter holiday. Ginny was grateful that her parents were being so optimistic about everything, but she knew deep down they were worried for her well-being.

_And why shouldn't they be?_ Ginny thought. _After all, once next month rolls around, I'll have to…_

She shook the thought from her mind. She didn't want to think about that right now.

When she arrived in the Gryffindor common room, she sighed in relief when she noticed that Ron was nowhere in sight. She was curious about Parvati, however. She was sitting near the fireplace with a large bottle of butterbeer in her hand, obviously drinking it by herself. She hadn't even bothered to conjure a goblet for it.

"Rough night, Par?" Ginny asked, approaching her friend.

Parvati had a drunken grin plastered to her face, and Ginny had to wonder how much she had actually drank. _At least she seems to be in a good mood,_ Ginny thought.

"Ginny!" Parvati exclaimed. "Sit with me! I want to ask you something!"

"Erm, alright," Ginny said, taken aback by her friend's giddiness. This was Parvati - she was _never _giddy.

"So, why didn't you tell me you were dating Draco?" she slurred.

"How did you know?"

"Oh, you know, I just find things out. I tried to shag him. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

_Of course,_ Ginny thought. _Her prefect plan. I should have known she would try._ She decided to let her friend slide this time, as she was clearly losing her marbles faster every minute.

"It's alright, Par."

"Well, at least he never did that to me!"

"Never did what?"

Parvati slowly raised her free arm, which was shaking slightly, and pointed to Ginny's stomach. "That! You're so up the pole!"

"Shhh!" Ginny exclaimed, checking over her shoulders to make sure no one had heard. She whispered, "Who told you that?"

"No one had to tell me, Miss Ginny! I could tell. You act funny, hanging out in the hospital wing all the time. Always sick. The signs were clear as day!"

"Wonderful," Ginny mumbled. She was getting irritated, but again, she let it pass. She watched Parvati take another large gulp from the bottle.

"Your necklace is pretty, Ginny."

"Thank you."

"Are you due in August? I see a peridot!"

_Why does everyone know what this necklace means, damn it!_ Ginny thought. "No, the peridot is mine. I'm due in July."

"Oh, right, July. Sapphire. Cool," Parvati slurred, clearly not even realizing that there was no sapphire on the necklace. "Glad I never got one!"

"A sapphire?"

"No silly, a necklace! Draco never had to give me one! Thanks be to Merlin for that one!"

Ginny was silent for a moment, thinking about everything Parvati had said. She was glad he never had to give her a necklace, and glad he hadn't gotten her pregnant.

"Parvati," Ginny said slowly, "you only _tried_ to shag Draco, right?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. He was part of the plan."

"Yes, I know that. But if you only tried to shag him, but didn't actually do it, why would you say you're glad he didn't knock you up?"

Parvati laughed, confusing Ginny. "I'm talking about fifth year, silly!"

"What do you mean, fifth year?"

Parvati frowned. "His daddy died. He was very sad."

Ginny swallowed hard. "You slept with Draco?"

"I wanted to make him feel better." The slurring was getting worse. "And I think I did! I made him happy. So, so happy."

Ginny was too stunned to say anything. As far as she had known, Pansy was the only other girl Draco had ever been with. He had never said anything about a fling with Parvati.

"Tell me, Ginny." Parvati grabbed Ginny's arm and looked straight at her. "Is he still magnificent? I remember him being wicked in the sack."

Ginny pushed her hand away. "Yes, Parvati. I have to leave though. I'll see you later," she quickly said before bolting upstairs to her dormitory.

She didn't care if something happened in Draco's past with another girl, as long as he was honest about it. He had never said anything about anyone but Pansy. Ginny tried to tell herself it wasn't true, that Draco had never slept with Parvati, and that it had only been the alcohol talking. But the one thing she knew for sure was she was going to have a little chat with Draco the next time she saw him.

* * *

When Lavender arrived in the Gryffindor common room, she headed straight for her dormitory. She did not look at anyone, although out of the corner of her eye she saw Colin napping in an armchair and Parvati, obviously drunk out of her mind, near the fire. She ignored Neville's cheerful greeting as she walked to the girls' staircase. She stepped into her dormitory and locked the door behind her. Then she did something she had never done before: she sound-proofed the room.

Lavender lost all control of herself. She screamed. She wailed. She was completely hysterical. She pushed everything off of her desk. She went through her drawers and chucked things onto the floor. She ripped posters from the walls and stripped her bed of its blankets, getting herself tangled in them for a moment. A couple of Parvati's books ended up halfway across the room. She smashed a couple of lamps. She kicked her desk, her bed, the walls, and the door. She punched the window a few times, which was fortunately made with unbreakable glass.

The last thing Lavender touched was her nightstand. A framed photograph of her and Seamus from her summer visit in Ireland resided there. It was the same picture that Seamus kept next to his own bed. Lavender gently picked it up and stared at it with her tear-glazed eyes. The pair was so happy in the photograph. Seamus had his arm around her and, with an obvious grin on his face, was kissing her on the cheek. She was smiling and giggling, biting her lip slightly. They were so happy. They were so in love.

For a split second, Lavender was almost fooled by what she was staring at. She thought that maybe, just maybe, she could be this happy again with Seamus. _But it's all a lie_, she thought. She wasn't going to let her feelings for Seamus trick her anymore. Their relationship may have been a perfect, loving bliss in the picture, but outside of the borders of the frame, it was in ruins. That happiness had ceased to exist, at least on her side of the spectrum.

"Go to hell, you filthy, lying, cheating BASTARD!" Lavender screamed. She threw the picture as hard as she could across the room. It collided with the stone wall with such force that not only the glass shattered, the wood of the frame cracked down the middle. It landed on the scarlet floor face-up, and a shard of glass tore the picture straight across Seamus's happy face.

* * *

Hermione and Anthony arrived back at the library. They had spent an hour in silence, and it had given Hermione a chance to do some thinking. Though she was still angry with Ron, she was doing better. Despite that, however, she felt a bit strange. _Ron left me, yet I feel okay?_ she thought. _How bizarre._

"Will you'll be alright?" Anthony asked.

She nodded. "I think so. I just have a lot to figure out."

"Would you like me to walk you back to your dormitory?"

Hermione stared at him. _He's such a gentleman,_ she thought. _I've hurt him, yet he's still so kind to me. He's never yelled at me, never gotten angry with me for something meaningless. He's…he's…_

She burst into tears.

Anthony hugged her immediately. "Merlin, Hermione, what's wrong?"

"He's so…always yelling…and…hurts…never listens…doesn't trust…not my fault…" she choked out between sobs. She could barely look at him.

Anthony brushed a stray curl from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He placed his broad hands on her shoulders.

"Do you want to go somewhere and talk?"

Still sobbing, she nodded. He put his arm around her shoulders and lead the distraught Hermione through the corridors. The heavy sobs slowly evolved into weeping and eventually mellowed out to heavy breathing with no tears. When Hermione finally caught her breath, she was standing in an all-blue room with lots of books. She hadn't even realized the route they had taken to get there.

"Where are we?" she asked, amazed at what she was seeing.

Anthony shrugged. "My room. It was the first place that popped into my head."

Hermione had forgotten that he, too, also received his own private dormitory when he was promoted to Head Boy. She looked around in awe. His room seemed so much more elaborate than hers, but perhaps that was because she was so used to her own. There was a large picture window overlooking the now frozen, snow-covered lake; it would be a lovely view in the springtime. There were two large book cases on either side of the room that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Both were completely filled.

"Don't get too excited, those aren't all mine," Anthony laughed. "Most of them belong to the school. They're always changing. I think the shelves are charmed to update what they hold according to my mood, or what I'm studying in class."

"Wow. I wish I had one of those."

Anthony sat down in his desk chair. "So what's going on, Hermione?"

Hermione felt the tears stinging her eyes again. "It's Ron. He…he broke up with me…"

He looked bewildered. "What? Why? What happened?"

"I was keeping a secret for a friend, and he got angry with me for not sharing it with him." Hermione was trying to give away as little information as possible.

He raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me, but that seems a bit drastic on his part."

"It is. That's why I got so angry. And then -" Hermione stopped herself. She was about to say Ron accused her of cheating, but that would look like she was putting the blame on Anthony. She shook her head. "Never mind."

They sat in silence for a while. Hermione looked over at Anthony. She wished she could have read his mind. She would have loved to know what thoughts were running through his mind at that moment. After all, he did see her as more than a friend, and she just admitted that she no longer had any strings attached.

He was as handsome as ever. A piece of his wavy brown hair had fallen in front of his eye. It looked so damn sexy and it was driving her mad. She had to fix it. She rose from the chair Anthony had transfigured for her and walked over to him to push the hair from his face.

_Bad idea,_ she thought. Now she was mesmerized by his deep, green eyes; she couldn't look away. She saw so much kindness, so much chivalry, so much love. Why had she not noticed it before?

_You know what?_ she thought. _Ron left me. I'm free. Free to do what I've been wanting for quite some time._

Hermione softly pressed her lips against Anthony's. She let them linger there for a second before pulling back. She felt the tingling sensation that she had so dearly missed. Her heart was racing. She could feel the burning in her core that could only mean one thing…

"Hermione, I -" Anthony began. He was trying to find the words to say.

"What is it?"

"As much as I want to, we shouldn't be doing this…"

She started to lean in a little closer again. "Why not?"

He pulled away. "You know why. You just fought with Ron. You're not thinking clearly."

Hermione smiled and touched the side of his face. "Maybe I'm not, then again, maybe I am. But I'm going to try to stop thinking altogether. You should, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Stop thinking, Anthony. Stop thinking and just…feel."

She kissed him again, and he responded this time. The kiss was gentle at first, but quickly became more fierce. Her hands snaked around his neck, while his tangled themselves in her thick, brown locks. She moved from her chair and sat on his lap, facing him. Hermione brought her lips down to his neck, sucking at the most sensitive spot. Anthony let out a slight moan, and his breath tickled Hermione's ear in the most erotic way.

Hermione knew she ought to slow down and think things through, but she didn't want to. This was the kind of spontaneous experience she had been desiring, and she did not want to let it pass. It thrilled her to know she was doing something that wasn't typical of her.

_This is perfectly okay,_ she thought, trying to justify her actions. _Ron left me. We're not together anymore. I'm a free woman. I'm -_ She stopped herself, because thinking was the one thing she said she wouldn't do. She wanted to feel something without trying to rationalize it.

Anthony rose from the chair, lifting Hermione as he did so. He carried her across the room, and in the process, joined his lips with hers again. He gently placed Hermione down on the bed. He laid down next to her and stared into her eyes. Hermione felt her stomach do flips.

She thought of Ron. _He hasn't stared at me like this in so long. He hasn't been…oh shut up, will you?_

As Anthony kissed her again, she began to run her hands up and down his chest, admiring his muscular build. Hermione could feel her core becoming hotter and wetter. She wanted more, she _needed_ more. She brought her hands up to his collar and unfastened the clasp of his Ravenclaw robe, allowing it to fall from his shoulders. She followed with his blue tie, making his white button-up shirt the only barrier between her hands and the skin of his chest.

"I'll take care of you, Hermione. I promise to be good to you," he whispered as he began to nibble on her ear, driving her mad.

_Ron never says sweet things like that anymore. I'm glad to be rid of him. He yelled at me today, and all that proved is how much he doesn't trust me and never has. How could he? After all we've been through together…STOP IT!_

Hermione gasped as Anthony began to undo the top two buttons of her blouse. She hadn't even realized her robe and tie had ended up on the floor already. She did the same to his shirt, but faster. She was eager to remove it and reveal the godlike body she was sure was underneath. Her suspicions proved true when she pushed it off of his body. He was toned in all the right places.

"Oh my…" she softly muttered in awe.

His hand, which now resided on her knee, began to move upward. His fingers played with the fumbled with the hem of her skirt for a moment before they slid underneath, gliding very slowly up her thigh.

"Stay with me, Hermione…" he whispered into her neck.

_Ron said that to me after our first major fight as a couple. He said that during the battle in the Department of Mysteries, he had been so afraid he was going to lose me forever. He cared so much about me, even though he lost his cool sometimes. He never wanted us to be apart…_

Hermione snapped back into reality when Anthony's hand reached her lacy knickers. She began to fumble with the buckle of his belt. She could feel him - he was hard as stone. This excited her. She had never been with another man before. She loved knowing that she could have this level of affect on someone else. After all, she had only been with Ron.

_And he's only been with me. We gave our virginities to each other. It was so beautiful. I swore to myself I'd never share such an experience with anyone else but him…_

"My goodness, Hermione, you are so beautiful," Anthony said. "We can be together. Please be with me…" His lips collided with hers again.

_Be together? _Hermione now had no choice but to think. _But what about Ron? What about our future, and all of our plans? What about our beautiful house? What about our red-headed bookworm children? What about spending every Christmas at the chaotic Burrow? What about watching our children grow up? What about him whispering words of comfort to me as I begin to cry at Platform 9 ¾ when we send our children to Hogwarts for the first time? What about growing old together and playing with grandchildren, or possibly even great-grandchildren? What about the pure love we have for each other? _

_For the love of Merlin, what is WRONG with me?_

Hermione pushed Anthony gently. "I'm so sorry…"

He looked confused. "What's wrong? Should we slow down?"

She could barely look at him. "I-I can't do this. I just can't. I'm sorry." She jumped off the bed and began to refasten the buttons of her blouse.

"But Hermione, what's -"

She began to cry as she gathered her robe and tie from the royal blue carpet. She could barely speak.

"I have to go," she said. It was all she could manage to say in between sobs. She rushed from the room, not even looking at him as she left. Thankfully, the Ravenclaw common room was empty, so no one saw her leave. She ran out into the corridors without knowing where she was going. She just had to get as far away from there as possible. She couldn't catch her breath as she ran, but she didn't care. She was so ashamed of what she had done.

She realized everything now. Anthony really _was_ just a crush. She knew it the second he asked for them to be together; she had an actual opportunity to become Anthony's girl, and she couldn't do it. For better or worse, her heart would always be Ron's. They argued all the time, had silly fights, and drove each other insane, but she loved him. His imperfections _were_ what made him perfect.

Hermione was paying no attention to where she was going, so it came as no shock to her when she ran straight into someone as she rounded a corner. She did not even know who it was, but she clung onto them, crying hard into their chest.

"Merlin, Hermione! What's wrong? What happened?" It was Harry.

Hermione muttered something in response, but she was sobbing so hard that Harry could barely understand her. All he had managed to hear clearly was "such a filthy slag", "don't deserve him", and "won't ever forgive me".

"Come on," Harry said, placing an arm around her. "Let's get back to your dormitory and we'll talk."

Hermione, still sobbing, rested her head on Harry's shoulder as he lead her back to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I would just like to let everyone know that I'm preparing to return to school, and as a result I will unfortunately have less time for writing. However, I will NOT forget the story and I promise to update as often as possible! :-) Again, thanks to all who follow and review the story!

Chapter 9 will be coming soon! Any thoughts or predictions? XD


	10. About Last Night

_**Chapter 9 - About Last Night**_

Parvati woke up the following morning and looked around her room in horror. Her head was pounding as she tried to remember what had happened the night before. Getting angry at Professor Flaherty came to mind. She vaguely remembered Neville holding her hand and practically carrying her up the stairs. She also recalled thinking her dormitory was a mess, but she had thought that part had been her drunken mind playing games with her. As she glanced around the room, however, it became clear that it was actually true.

The dormitory appeared as if a tornado had torn through it. There was broken glass everywhere. Books, clothes, and other random objects littered the floor. The posters and banners that had decorated the walls were ripped and strewn across the carpet. Parvati panicked as she thought of what might have happened to cause the disastrous appearance of the dormitory. She sighed in relief, however, when she looked over at the bed next to hers and saw Lavender in a peaceful slumber. At least she was okay.

She quietly got out of bed to change and get ready for the day. It took a while to find her hairbrush, which somehow managed to end up in the corner on the opposite side of the room. When she finished dressing, she began to clean up the room, placing books on their proper shelves and putting stationary back in desk drawers. When she heard Lavender beginning to stir, she stopped and looked over at her.

"Morning," Lavender mumbled, sitting up in bed. "What're you doing?"

"Tidying," Parvati replied. "What happened in here last night?"

Lavender rubbed her eyes and shook her head. "Long story." She looked around. "Wow, I really did a number on the place, didn't I?"

Parvati was stunned. _"You_ did this? What were you thinking?"

"Like I said, it's a long story. I'd rather not get into it right now."

Parvati shrugged, figuring she probably didn't even _want_ to know. "Fair enough. I'm going to head down to breakfast. You coming?"

Lavender shook her head. "I'll head down in a bit. I just want to rest for a little while longer."

_Cry for a little longer is more like it…_ Lavender thought.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Alright. But could you do me a favor?"

"Hm?"

Parvati held up one of the posters which Lavender had ripped. "The next time you throw a fit, please don't take it out on Aidan Lynch. Seriously, he's the sexiest guy on the Irish team! What were you thinking?"

Lavender chuckled a little. "Sorry."

Parvati grinned. She waved her wand to repair Lynch's gorgeous face before heading downstairs. She saw Seamus sitting in a chair; he appeared as if he was waiting for Lavender before heading out. She approached him.

"Do you know what happened to Lavender last night?" she asked.

Seamus narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"No idea. She had some sort of temper tantrum and trashed the dormitory. I figured you'd know what was bothering her."

His eyes widened. "She trashed the dormitory? What the bloody hell did she do that for?"

"That's what I'm asking you. Did you two have a fight or something?"

"No, I haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon. Is she coming down?"

"Not now. You should go up and talk to her. She still seems really upset about whatever it is."

He nodded. "Yes, definitely. Would you take me up there?"

Parvati led Seamus up the stairs and left him outside of the dormitory door. When she was gone, Seamus stepped inside.

"Morning, love," he said cheerfully.

Lavender gasped, then spun around to face the doorway. She gaped at him, but said nothing.

"Merlin, Parvati wasn't kidding!" Seamus said, almost laughing at the state of the room. Despite Parvati's efforts, it still looked like a war zone. "You destroyed the place! What happened, sweetheart?"

She still said nothing. She simply stared at him with cold eyes.

He slowly approached her. "Lavender? What's the matter?"

"Get out," she said quietly.

"What?"

"GET OUT!" she shouted. "Get the hell OUT!" She grabbed the small lamp from her nightstand, which Parvati had just repaired for her, and threw it at him. Seamus narrowly dodged it, and it flew right through the open door, colliding with the wall of the outside corridor.

"Merlin, Lavender! What's gotten into you?"

She laughed hysterically. "What's gotten into _me_? You're kidding, right?"

"Lavender, I don't -"

"Why don't you stop pretending to care about me and run back to your precious Hannah? Maybe that'll clear things up for you!"

Seamus was stunned. "How did you know?" he asked quietly.

Lavender stood and walked slowly toward him. "It doesn't matter how I found out. The point is that I know."

"Seriously, who told you? Was it Ginny?"

"WHO CARES?" Lavender bellowed. Her face was a few inches away from his now. "It doesn't matter! The fact is you lied to me! You CHEATED on me!"

"Lav, I love you-"

"Oh, don't even TRY that rubbish with me, Seamus Finnegan! If you loved me, I wouldn't of heard Terry breaking up with Hannah because she was shagging you behind _his_ back. Boyfriends who supposedly love their girlfriends don't shag other girls, Seamus! That's not how relationships work!"

"Listen to me, Lav. I know I screwed up. I know you shouldn't forgive me, and you probably won't. But _please_ let me explain. I need you to at least know what happened."

"Why should I do anything for you?"

Seamus sighed. "Because you have a good heart."

"Well, you broke it. It's no good anymore."

"Please, Lav…" he whispered.

Lavender faced him, and she saw the pleading in his eyes. He was right - she _did_ have a good heart. Even though she hated him with all her might at the moment, she knew allowing him to explain himself was the right thing to do. Not to mention, she really did want to know what caused him to behave in such a disloyal manner.

She nodded and sat back down on her bed. She gestured toward her desk chair.

"Go on."

* * *

Draco was waiting for Ginny in the Room of Requirement with a bouquet of white and pink roses. Despite being a Slytherin and a Malfoy, Draco was the ultimate romantic. It was one of the reasons Ginny had fallen for him.

"Good morning, love." He smiled and handed her the flowers, which she took. Draco did not notice her grim smile because clearly he was so excited about something. "I have something else for you, too. Well, not really for you. It's for the baby, but I thought you'd like to see it nonetheless."

Without waiting for a response, Draco practically skipped over to the table where a small white box resided. Ginny set her flowers down and sat on the couch, waiting to see what Draco was so excited about.

"My mom made these. She's always been very gifted with knitting charms." He was holding a little baby bonnet, which had a checkered pattern in the colors of Gryffindor and Slytherin. There was also a tiny matching scarf and set of mittens.

"My mom was so thrilled about the news, Gin. She can't wait to hold her grandchild. When I told her about the baby, she immediately started on these. Clearly she got overexcited, though- she made winter clothes even though the baby will be here July. But that's okay, we can still use them. We may have to charm them to make them a bit bigger." He stopped, catching her blank gaze. "Do you not like them?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, it's not that. Of course I like them. They're beautiful. She's…okay that you're with me, though?"

Draco nodded and kissed her forehead. "Absolutely. My mum was never like my dad in that sense. She only pretended to be to please him. Mum has no problem with Muggles - she finds them kind of interesting, really. Nor does she have anything against half-bloods or purebloods who associate with any of them. Like I said, it was all an act."

"So she really wouldn't prefer you with someone else? Someone that's...well, not me?"

Draco sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "Of course not. All she wants is for me to be happy. And even if she did want someone different for me, it wouldn't matter because you're the only one for me."

Ginny nodded. "You're being honest?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

She looked at him. "Have you always been honest with me?"

He looked at her questioningly. "Ginny, what's going on?"

She stood up and began to pace. "I just need to know. Have you kept anything from me? Anything at all?"

"I don't think so…"

"So Pansy is the only girl you've been with before me?"

That made him flinch. "Well, I-"

"Merlin, it's true then…"

"What's true?"

"You slept with Parvati."

He sighed. "It was only once, Ginny. I swear. It meant absolutely nothing. I didn't say anything because it wasn't important. It meant _nothing_ to me."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I don't know. I was just stupid." He rose from the sofa and faced her. "It was the end of fifth year. Dad had just been killed, and even though I hated the bastard with all my heart, I was still…numb. I was in the library late one night, just sitting in one of the chairs. I wanted to be away from everyone. Parvati was there. She was upset because she had broken up with that guy from Hufflepuff she had been dating. We got into talking, then went for a walk. Things just happened somehow. I never meant for it to go that route, but it did."

Ginny looked at the ground and shook her head. "I just don't understand how you could keep something like that from me…"

He put his hands on her shoulders. "It meant _nothing,_ Ginny. It didn't matter! Please don't be upset."

Ginny knew why she was upset. She knew Parvati tried to shag him again. For all Ginny knew, the only reason he had refused was because he was already attached to her. _What's going to happen when I'm gone?_

"How could you…"

"Stop it, Ginny. Just stop. You know, you're not exactly the most honest person yourself."

That stung. "What are you talking about? I've never kept anything from you!"

"I never said anything about me, Ginny. I'm talking about everyone else. You're the one who wants to keep us hidden from everyone in our lives, not me. Why can't you just be honest with them, and allow me to do the same?"

"I just can't!"

"Why? Because of Ron? He already knows you're pregnant - I heard him yelling at Hermione about it last night when I was heading to my detention. He may as well know who's fault it is." Draco shook his head and sat back down. He looked up at her. "Why are you so insistent on keeping me a secret from everyone in your life, Ginny?"

Ginny shook her head, letting the tears fall freely now. "I don't know," she whispered. She was lying, of course. She knew perfectly well why, but it wouldn't do to tell him. It would only make things worse.

"I'll be honest with you, Ginny. It hurts my feelings. I feel like you're ashamed of me…"

"No, that's not it at all!"

"Then what is it? Merlin, I love you so damn much and I can't even tell anyone about it! Do you have any idea how much that hurts? Do you have any idea what it's like to want to tell everyone that, for the first time in your life, you're the happiest you've ever been, but you can't? It kills me, Ginny!"

Ginny shook her head. "Well, I guess you're lucky, then. Because pretty soon, you won't have to worry about me anymore!"

"What are you taking about?"

"By next month, we won't be together. You won't have to worry about keeping us a secret, because there will no longer be a secret to keep."

"What do you mean we won't be together?"

"I'm leaving. I'm leaving Hogwarts."

Draco was stunned. "What? Why?"

"They're sending me away. I can't be in school and pregnant. I'm going home the first week of February."

"But what about me?"

She shrugged, almost laughing. "What does it matter? The responsibility always falls on the girl. You get away without so much as a drop of ink on your record. You get finish school, stay with your friends, and graduate in June. If I want to finish the remainder of my sixth year and eventually my seventh, I'll have to come back later."

Draco said nothing. He was too shocked to speak. He couldn't believe they were doing this to Ginny. The pregnancy was just as much his fault as it was hers, if not more so. Why should she be the only one to suffer?

"Ginny, I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Like I said, you're staying here. You get to do whatever you please. Hell, you can even find another girl if you want. Maybe you can hook up with Parvati again. I know _she's_ been pursuing another go at you. Once I'm out of the picture, you're in the clear!"

Draco was prepared to retort, but Ginny was already out the door and running down the corridor in tears.

* * *

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she sat upright in her bed. The sunlight was shining through her window, and it was especially bright due to the snow-covered grounds. It had to have been at least ten in the morning. She had been having a nightmare. She was in Anthony's room, fooling around with him, and all she could think about was Ron…

She buried her face in her hands when she realized it hadn't been a nightmare - it had actually happened. She _had_ been to Anthony's room the night before. She remembered leaving before things got too out of control and walking back to the common room with Harry. She had let Anthony kiss her, touch her…and she had _liked_ it.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin, what have I done?" Hermione said loudly into her hands. She was shaking her head in regret.

"Mione, what's wrong?" a voice mumbled groggily.

Hermione gasped and looked for the source of the voice. Harry was sprawled out on her floor with one of her extra pillows. He began to sit up and reach for his glasses. He rubbed his eyes a bit before putting them on.

"Harry? What are you doing in here?"

He shrugged. "You were a wreck last night and I didn't want to leave you alone. I was going to leave once you fell asleep. Guess I didn't make it, eh?"

Hermione began to cry. "Oh, Harry, I did something terribly stupid! I'm a prize idiot!"

Harry stretched before standing up. He was still wearing his clothes from the night before. He sat down next to Hermione on the bed and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"What happened, Hermione? I could barely understand you last night."

Hermione hung her head. "Ron broke up with me."

Evidently, Ron had not shared the details of the previous night's events with his best friend, because Harry was clearly stunned.

"What? What for?"

"He was mad that I didn't tell him about Ginny…" Hermione stopped suddenly, covering her mouth with her hand.

Harry smiled. "Relax, I already know about the baby."

"You do?"

"She told me on Christmas, but that's a story for another time. So, you were saying…?" he urged her to continue.

Hermione nodded. "We were arguing about it outside off the hospital wing when Anthony showed up. I had told him to meet me there for prefect rounds, but Ron accused me of cheating on him. So he left." The tears were falling faster now.

"And when was this?"

"Yesterday evening, a little after dinnertime."

Harry tilted his head. "So why were you running about the halls bawling your eyes out at ten o'clock last night? That's quite a while after dinnertime."

"That's the bad part…"

"Go on."

"After prefect rounds, I went to Anthony's room."

"Oh, no, Hermione…" he mumbled, shaking his head.

"I know, I'm such a fool! I never planned for anything to happen! I was still really upset and we were just going to talk. Things just got carried away…"

"What exactly happened between the two of you? Merlin, you didn't shag him, did you?"

"No, it didn't get that far. We just kissed and…other stuff…"

Harry sighed. "That's not like you, Hermione. What made you do that?"

Hermione sniffled. "I had been feeling attracted to him for quite some time. But last night, when I was with him, all I could think about was Ron. I had forgotten how much I love him." She began bawling again. "But none of that matters now, because he left me! And even if we could get back together, he'll never forgive me for this! I've ruined the greatest part of my life!"

Harry hugged her tighter. "That's bollocks, Hermione, and you know it."

"What do you mean?"

He shifted his body so he was facing her, and took her hands in his. "Ron's my best mate. I know him well enough to know how much of a git he is -"

Hermione cut him off. "He's not the git, Harry! I am! How could I possibly -"

"Let me finish. I know how much of a git he is when things don't go his way. You said he broke up with you after he learned of Ginny's condition, yes?"

When Hermione nodded, he continued. "I can only imagine how shocked he was after hearing about that, and he was probably a little hurt that so many people, including yourself, knew and didn't tell him. I know Ron's jealous of Anthony because you have to spend so much time with him, so seeing him probably set him off. First he hears about his little sister being pregnant, than he sees who he considers an enemy meeting up with his girlfriend? No wonder the poor bloke snapped. It's not your fault, nor is it his. That's just the way Ron is. I'll bet you my Firebolt he didn't mean anything he said."

"You really think that?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. Like I said, Ron is my best mate. Even though he may be a git sometimes, I know he has a good heart. And I know without a doubt that he is unconditionally in love with you. He has been since fourth year."

Hermione said nothing, but she gaped at Harry. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You should hear the way he talks about you, Mione. He told me once that he still tries to impress you because sometimes he still can't believe he actually won your heart. He worries that it's a dream he'll wake up from, and he'll be back to the time when he was miserable because you were swooning over Krum. He talks about having a future with you. He talks about marrying you, having children with you. You know how he's been working harder in class this past year? It's because he wants to get a good job so he can give you the life you deserve. All he wants to do is make you happy so he can see your smile every day. He loves you more than he loves life. You're his world, Hermione."

Hermione buried her face in the curve of Harry's neck sobbing. "Merlin, I've ruined everything!"

Harry let her tears flow for a minute before speaking again. "You haven't ruined anything, Hermione. You both just need to talk to each other."

She looked up at him. "Should I go now?"

He shook his head. "No, I'd wait until tonight at the very least. Ron usually takes a while to calm down. I've learned my lesson over the years."

Hermione chuckled a bit at this, then hugged Harry tightly. "You're a great friend, Harry. Luna's a lucky girl to have you."

"Trust me, I think I'm more lucky to have her." He smiled. "She's wonderful."

Hermione smiled too, and wiped the remaining wetness from her eyes. "Is that why you were out so late last night? You were with Luna?"

He shrugged. "Well, I was having some solo quidditch practice earlier in the evening, but yes, I did stop to see her for a bit."

"Are you using charms?"

He looked puzzled. "What charms?"

"Well, I mean, after this whole thing with Ginny…"

Harry laughed. "Oh, _those_ charms. No, I'm not."

"But Harry! You have to-"

He held up a hand to stop her. "I'm not because there's no need to."

She looked at him questionably. "You mean…you and Luna…you're not…?"

He shook his head, smiling. "Nope. We want to wait. Neither of us have yet." Harry smirked when he saw Hermione's bewildered expression. "What, you're surprised that the Boy Who Lived is still a virgin?"

Hermione was trying to find the right words. "Well, I just assumed with all the girls that have fancied you over the years, you may have…you know…"

He laughed. "Hermione, relax. I'm only teasing you." He stood up. "I best go upstairs and get dressed. Yesterday morning's shower seems like years ago. You sure you'll be alright?"

Hermione nodded, thankful that Harry hadn't been judgmental. "I think I will. Thanks."

He smiled before leaving. "I'll see you at breakfast, then."

After Harry left, Hermione leaned back against the wall. Despite what Harry had told her about Ron, the inevitable confrontation still worried her. Sure, he loved her. But would he be able to forgive her about her incident with Anthony?

The thought of losing him for good made her ill.

* * *

Parvati had not been surprised when Lavender failed to come down to breakfast. She assumed that she had gotten mad at Seamus for something silly the night before and he didn't realize he had upset her. She had most likely scolded him when he got upstairs, he said something to sweep her off her feet, and now they were probably too preoccupied with make-up sex to bother to come downstairs. Parvati wouldn't learn until later that evening how wrong she was, but for the time being, she simply rolled her eyes at the thought.

Of all places, Parvati had spent the remainder of the morning in the library. She had neglected a lot of homework over the Christmas break and had some catching up to do. She had thought more than once about ditching the books and paying a visit to Professor Flaherty, but she decided against it each time. She wouldn't have known what to say to him, much less of how to act. All she knew is that it would certainly be awkward in class on Monday.

After lunch, Parvati was walking back to Gryffindor Tower when she heard Harry's voice up ahead. He was with Luna. The two were facing each other and holding hands, conversing quietly. Parvati, being the nosy person she was, hid behind a gargoyle statue nearby to watch and listen. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help herself.

"I've had my suspicions for a while, but I assumed Ron would have known already," Luna was saying. "He's really upset, isn't he?"

"Well, why wouldn't he be? It's his little sister." Harry said.

_Uh oh. Ron knows about Ginny?_ Parvati thought. _I'm glad I wasn't there._

Luna sighed. "I just feel sorry for Ginny. How will she handle a baby?"

"I don't know. She'll figure something out. I mean, look at her family and friends. Her mom and dad are good people, and Hermione is just incredibly supportive. Ron will come around eventually. And I'll help out in any way I can, too, of course."

Luna squeezed Harry's hand and looked up at him affectionately. "You've always been so good, Harry. You truly care about people. How did I get you?"

Harry smiled, laughing a bit. "I should ask you the same question."

Luna's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "I love you, Harry," she whispered.

"And I love you. I loved you the first moment I saw you. You're extraordinary. I wouldn't trade you for anything. I'd never give up our future together."

Luna smiled. "You really want a future with me?"

"You know I do, Luna. You know I want to marry you someday."

Luna bit her lip and stared into Harry's eyes. He stared back as he ran his fingers gently through her blonde, wavy hair. Their hands remained adjoined, and Harry was softly rubbing his thumb against Luna's skin.

Parvati had expected them to kiss, but they didn't. As she looked at them, however, she realized they didn't need to. Their faces said everything the other needed to know. The presence of love couldn't be ignored; Parvati could practically see it linking the couple together. After a minute or two of silence, Harry slipped his arm around Luna and she rested her head against his shoulder. She looked up at him, and he smiled down at her. They began to walk down the corridor together, never tearing their gazes from each other's eyes.

After they rounded a corner and were out of sight, Parvati walked around the gargoyle and stared at the spot where Harry and Luna had just stood. Despite spending so much time around Ron and Hermione and Lavender and Seamus, she had never seen two people share such a connection. She had witnessed what she never thought was possible.

* * *

"So get to the point. What started this? What in the name of Merlin happened?" Lavender asked. She and Seamus had decided on allowing each other time to get ready for the day before they discussed things. Seamus had gone back to his dormitory so Lavender could shower and dress. She also took some time to clean up the mess she made the night before. They were now back in her room, and Seamus had, until this point, avoided saying anything about his affair with Hannah.

Seamus sighed. "Lav, do we have to talk about this today? Let's just enjoy the rest of the day, and tomorrow -"

"I'm giving you a chance to explain yourself, Seamus. This is something you asked for. I may not be so generous tomorrow."

"Alright." Seamus shifted in his chair, deciding how to begin. "It started in April."

"April?" Lavender exclaimed. "You've been shagging her since April? Seamus, we didn't even start dating until June!"

"Lav, calm down. Let me finish. April is when we started our club."

"Club? What kind of club?"

Seamus turned a slight shade of pink. "We called it the Muggle Club."

Lavender looked confused. "Seamus, you're a half-blood."

He nodded. "Exactly. So were most of the other students in the club. Either that or they were pure-blood. None of us were Muggleborn, except Dean. We were, however, all in Muggle Studies together."

"So who exactly was in this club?"

"Well, me, of course. Dean and Hannah. Padma, Ernie, Terry…pretty much everyone in our year who takes Muggle Studies except for Hermione."

"Why not her?"

Seamus has to grin a little bit. "She's too much of a stickler for the rules. We always met late at night in an empty classroom. She would have ratted us out in an instant."

"So what was this club about, exactly?"

"Well, in the earlier years of the class, we would talk about boring Muggle stuff - their government, their transportation, their ways of communicating - that sort of stuff. But in the middle of sixth year, we got into talking about their activities. Professor Burbage taught us about these things called movies. They're like these moving pictures that have sound and tell a story. They're really cool."

"So in your Muggle Club, you would watch movies? That's it?"

"Well, that was the way it started. Over the Easter break, Dean took an old television from his basement and brought it here, so we could all watch movies. We'd stay there all night sometimes. But after a while, Professor Burbage told us a bunch of things that the television could be used for. There were programs on at specific times, and sometimes even sporting events. She even taught us about these things called video games, which are a lot of fun. We ended up playing those, too."

Lavender stared at him. "So you were in a club that gathered to stay up all night doing Muggle things. That's all?"

Seamus nodded. "Pretty much. I know it sounds lame, but we had a really good time."

"And how exactly did this lead to you shagging Hannah?"

Seamus sighed. "When school started again, we got the club back together. Some of us had gone into Muggle London over the summer to get more movies and games to share with each other. But Ernie had other ideas in mind. He took things to an extreme. He had visited Amsterdam with his brothers over the holiday and brought back some…things."

"What kind of things?"

"Alcohol…"

"We have alcohol in the Wizarding World, Seamus."

Seamus shook his head. "I know, but this Muggle stuff…some of it was ridiculous. You know how many butterbeers it takes for me to even get slightly tipsy. One drink of this absinthe stuff and I was gone. Muggles have some _really_ powerful stuff. Ernie also brought this weird powdery substance that I can't remember the name of. It made us dizzy, but it felt good. Really good."

Lavender was getting impatient. "What are you getting at, Seamus?"

He stood up and began pacing. "I don't know, Lav! Things got out of control! You wouldn't believe the kind of effect that stuff had on me. I don't even remember what happened some of the time. All I know is one night, when we were all wasted out of our minds, Hannah and I somehow hooked up. I woke up next to her, naked except for my tie, in the middle of the trophy room with my face in a puddle of my own drool. It was nauseating, really."

Lavender couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So you're telling me the drugs and alcohol made you do it? Do you have any idea how pathetic you sound right now?"

"Believe me, I know. I didn't realize how insane it all was until we started discussing those types of things in class." Seamus sighed. "A few weeks after it all started, Professor Burbage coincidentally started teaching us about Muggle substances. She told us about how some Muggles have gotten addicted to the stuff and never recovered. Some have even died. It was awful."

"So you all stopped?"

"Well…no."

"Seamus!"

"I know, I know, I'm an idiot!"

"So what happened, then?"

"The next time we all got together, Terry said he wasn't going to be a part of the club anymore unless we all stopped what we were doing. He was the only one to never try the stuff, but once he learned how bad it was he didn't want to even be around it, and I can't say I blame him. Then at the next meeting, Padma quit because Terry was a good friend of hers. So, naturally, Dean left, too, so Padma wouldn't be upset with him. Slowly but surely, everyone else dropped out until Ernie, Hannah, and myself were the only ones left. About a month ago, Ernie said he had to stop, and advised me and Hannah to do the same."

"And, did you?"

"We said we would…"

"But you didn't."

Seamus shrugged. "I was hooked and so was she. I kept denying that I was addicted and convinced myself it was only a bit of fun. So Hannah and I kept meeting in secret to drink and take the drugs. Sometimes we would end up fooling around. But I swear, Lavender, the stuff I was on made me feel as if I was doing nothing wrong."

Lavender snorted. "And that's supposed to make me forgive you? That's supposed to make it all okay?"

He shook his head. "No," he whispered. He looked at the floor and continued, "Like I said before, I needed you to know what happened. How you respond to it is in your hands."

Lavender sighed. "So what made you stop? You _have _stopped, right?"

Seamus looked up. "Of course. The night I ran into Ginny made me realize how stupid I was acting. I'm ashamed of how long that took. That night, Ginny threatened to tell you everything she saw, and that's when it struck me that I really could lose you forever. The thought of not having you in my life killed me. I had a talk with Hannah that night. I told her that if she wanted to get wasted, she'd have to do it alone because I was finished."

"Did Hannah stop?"

Seamus shrugged. "No idea. I haven't talked to her since that night except for brief moments in class." He looked into Lavender's eyes. "So where do we go from here?"

Lavender shook her head, refusing to allow the tears in her eyes to fall. "I…I need you to leave."

"Lav, I-"

"Please," Lavender said, gesturing toward the door. "This is just a lot to take in, okay? I need some time alone to think."

Seamus got up to leave. "Okay. That's fair. Thank you, you know, for letting me tell you what happened. I never meant to hurt you, I swear."

_But you did hurt me,_ Lavender thought. Rather than telling him this, however, she simply turned away.

"Just go," she whispered. She collapsed on her bed once she heard him leave.

* * *

Upon returning to Gryffindor Tower, Ginny, rather than going back to her own room, thundered up the boys' staircase. She flew down the corridor to the Seventh Years' room. She knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for a reply. Ron and Dean looked up, startled.

"Dean, could I trouble you for a word alone with my git of a brother?" Ginny asked.

Dean chuckled. "Sure thing, Gin."

After he left, Ron didn't have a chance to say a word to Ginny before she sent objects flying in his direction.

"What the hell, Ginny?" Ron exclaimed as he dodged Neville's herbology book.

"You're a complete arse, Ronald Weasley!"

"What'd I do?"

"You broke up with Hermione! What were you thinking?" She threw another book in his direction. It missed his head by inches.

"Gin, calm down!" Ron said, exasperated. "You don't even know what happened!"

"Oh, yes I do! I heard everything! You were certainly shouting loud enough. I'm pretty sure the students at Beauxbatons could hear you. You left her because she didn't tell you about me! How could you do that?"

"Did you also hear that she cheated on me?"

Ginny lowered the beater's club that she was about to aim in Ron's direction. "What?"

Ron nodded. "With that prat Anthony Goldstein. He was meeting her there to hook up with her."

"_That's_ why you broke things off with her? Are you mental?"

"What's so mental about that?"

Ginny shook her head, almost laughing. "You really _are_ a git, Ronald Weasley." She tossed the club to the side, which landed with a thud.

"What are you talking about? I saw them! He had a note in her handwriting -"

"-which she wrote to him so he would meet her there for prefect rounds. Trust me, Ron, Hermione was _not_ cheating on you. She loves you. How could you even think that?"

Ron sighed and sat down his bed. "I don't know. I was upset about you, and then I saw him meeting her…I didn't know what to think. I just hate the guy so much because he gets to spend so much time alone with Hermione. I know she and him are friends, but…"

Ginny sat down next to her brother. "Listen, Ron, you have nothing to be jealous about. For some crazy, irrational reason I still don't understand, Hermione chose you. She loves you more than anything. She's always been yours and she always will be, regardless of what happens."

Ron looked at the floor. "I really am a git, aren't I?"

Ginny shrugged. "We all are sometimes. You just happen to be above average."

He playfully punched her in the shoulder. "So what should I do about this, eh? I really mucked things up."

"I don't know, Ron. I really don't. I haven't talked to her today, so I have no idea how she's feeling."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Great." He looked at his sister. "So why didn't you come to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"The baby. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I think the events of last night are a good example as to why."

Ron snorted. "I suppose. But still, you're my little sister. I love you no matter what. Sure, I would have been shocked at first but I'd never turn my back on you. Ever."

"I guess it's the inevitable explosion of the Weasley temper is what put me off. I'm sorry."

Ron shook his head. "No, I'm the one who's sorry. I gave you the impression that you couldn't come to me."

Ginny looked at him. "Even if you didn't, do you really think I would have told my brother before my best friend anyway?"

Ron laughed. "Point taken." He put his arm around Ginny and hugged her. "So may I ask the obvious question?"

"Erm…alright."

"The father?"

"Not in the picture anymore."

Ron was shocked. "What? He left you? You've got to be kidding me. Where is the prat, I'll kill him…"

"Ron, relax. _I'm _the one who left _him_."

"Why would you do that?"

Ginny sighed. "I have to leave Hogwarts next month."

"They're forcing you out? You must be joking!"

She shrugged. "I wish I was. I figured I'd let him off the hook while I'm away."

"But Gin, he's just as responsible as you are."

"Like that matters. Only I get in trouble."

Ron rubbed Ginny's shoulder. "That doesn't seem right to me."

"It is what it is, I suppose. There's not much I can do it about it."

"I'll go home with you if you'd like."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks, but no. You only have a few months left until graduation. I wouldn't want Hermione to have spent all that time doing your homework for nothing."

"Oh, shush, you," Ron laughed, hugging Ginny.

Ginny got up to leave. "Just think about what I said, though, okay? Talk to Hermione, but be rational. Don't be...you. You know what I mean."

"I'll do my best," he chuckled, but then looked seriously at his sister. "When did you get to be so smart and mature?"

Ginny shrugged. "We all have to grow up some time."

* * *

Parvati felt strange. Harry had been the object of her affections for months now. Seeing him so cozy and in love with another girl should have shattered her heart and made her crazy with jealousy, but it didn't.

If anything, seeing Harry and Luna share such an intimate moment gave Parvati a sense of contentment. Somehow, she now believed there was a such thing as true love. She wasn't certain if she would ever find it for herself, or if she would even go looking for it, but now she knew it existed. She had believed for song long that true love was just a myth, that it was a concept invented to cover up lust and obsession.

After the encounter, Parvati had spent the afternoon taking a long, quiet walk around the grounds. It was warmer than usual for January, but still cold enough that the majority of students remained inside. Parvati reflected on the past couple of years. She thought about how happy Hermione had been when she and Ron finally confessed their feelings for one another. She thought about the huge smile on Lavender's face when Seamus asked her out for the first time. She thought about Ginny and how quickly her love for Draco blossomed. She thought about Harry and Luna, about Professor Flaherty and Genevieve. And most importantly, she realized how happy they were with their lives. Parvati wanted that. Even if she never found true love, she wanted to be happy. All of the boys she had fancied and the few she had been with really had been temporary comforts. She realized that none of them really lasted long or brought any sort of fulfillment to her life. They were placeholders for what she really wanted: happiness.

_Damn it,_ she had thought. _Ezra_ _was right all along. I hate when that happens._

Upon returning to Gryffindor Tower early that evening, she was rather surprised by what she saw in the common room. All of her thoughts from that afternoon about her three best friends being happy were immediately tossed out the window. Lavender was sitting in front of the fire sipping pumpkin juice and never tearing her gaze from the flames. Hermione was in the far back corner with a book in her lap. Parvati could tell she was not reading, however, because her eyes were merely staring at the page and not moving at all. Ginny, clearly deep in thought, was stretched out on a couch in the middle of the room, twirling her hair. All three girls looked quite sullen.

The thing that alarmed Parvati, however, was that they were all sitting apart from each other. Why weren't they together? Why weren't they talking to each other? The four of them had always talked to one another when they were dealing with problems. Thinking about it, Parvati realized that she actually had no idea what was going on in the lives of her three best friends. And by the looks of Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny, they didn't, either.

_When did that change?_ Parvati thought. _When did we stopping sharing everything with each other? And more importantly, why?_

She decided it was time to fix that. She walked over to Hermione.

"Come on, we have to talk. Meet me in your room."

Hermione looked up. "Parvati, now isn't a good time. I'm studying for a rather important exam."

"Bollocks. _Pride and Prejudice_ isn't schoolwork. And besides, I can tell you're not even reading it. Come on."

Hermione scowled, but reluctantly rose from her armchair and strode over to her room. Meanwhile, Parvati rounded up Lavender and Ginny.

In the room, Hermione took a seat in her desk chair, Ginny on the bed, and Lavender on a pillow on the floor. Parvati remained standing.

"Alright, what's going on?" When no one replied, she continued. "Come on. You three are obviously upset."

Ginny was the first to speak up. "I don't know about these two, but I'm fine."

Parvati rolled her eyes. "So everything's okay between you and Draco?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then where's your necklace?"

Ginny brought her hand up to her chest. "Oh, I must have forgotten it today…"

Hermione chimed in. "Parvati has a point, Ginny. You haven't taken that necklace off since he gave it to you."

Lavender frowned. "Oh no, he didn't…?"

Ginny's eyes began to well up with tears. Parvati sat down next to her. "Ginny, what happened? You know you can tell us."

"I…I left him."

"Ginny, why?" Lavender exclaimed. "You love him so much! You two are having a baby!"

"I didn't have a choice! I'm being forced out of Hogwarts!"

Hermione brought her hand up and covered her mouth. "Oh my."

"What is it?" Parvati asked.

"Of course," Hermione whispered. "Why didn't I see it before? You're protecting him."

When Ginny nodded, Parvati said, "I'm confused. How is breaking up with him protecting him?"

"Pregnancy is considered a serious offense at Hogwarts," Hermione said. "The parties involved are punished by expulsion. Remember a couple of years ago when that seventh-year couple from Hufflepuff vanished, and no one knew why?"

Lavender gasped. "That's why they left? She was pregnant by him?"

Hermione nodded, then looked at Ginny. "So is that why you left Draco? To spare him from expulsion?"

Ginny was crying. "I didn't see any other way. He's so close to graduating. I just couldn't do that to him."

Parvati spoke up. "Is that why you originally didn't tell us, or anyone else, that you were seeing him? You thought the word would get out?"

Ginny shrugged. "No. At first I was just afraid to say anything because of what everyone would think. We had planned to tell everyone about us around Christmas. But just before that, we found out about the baby. Draco still wanted to tell people about us but I wouldn't let him. I knew I'd eventually get kicked out either way. But if word got out that he was responsible, then he'd get thrown out, too. I didn't want him to suffer."

"Does he know this?" Lavender asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, does he know your reasoning? Like, did you ever tell him why you were so stubborn about keeping your relationship a secret?"

Ginny shook her head. "No. What good would that do?"

"Oh, Gin, he has to know!" Parvati said. "You should let him decide on whether or not he wants to leave Hogwarts with you."

"I don't want him to feel obligated. He'd end up resenting me. He'd maybe even resent the baby."

"No, he wouldn't," Hermione said. "You and I both know how much he loves you and the baby."

"Hermione's right," Lavender said. "He wants you all to be a family, otherwise he never would have given you the necklace."

"Well, let me ask you something, Lav," Ginny said defensively. "Say you and Seamus were in this situation. Would you give up his name and flush his future down the toilet alongside your own?"

Lavender teared up at the mention of Seamus's name, which Ginny had not been expecting.

"Lav, I didn't mean to sound cross, I'm sorry."

"No, it's not that, Gin. It's just…you were right. You really were right about Seamus. I'm so sorry I yelled at you yesterday."

"You two were fighting about Seamus?" Parvati asked. "I'm so lost. Someone please fill me in."

Lavender couldn't get the words out, so Ginny told the tale about catching him in the Room of Requirement with Hannah.

Parvati was flabbergasted. "Seamus, of all people! He was one of the nicest, most chivalrous guys in our year!"

"I just wish I knew why he would do such a thing," said Hermione. "Did he say anything to you, Ginny?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea why. All he did was promise me he'd break things off with Hannah."

Lavender quietly spoke up. "I know why."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You do?"

Lavender told her friends everything, from overhearing Hannah and Terry to her conversation with Seamus earlier that day.

Hermione was furious. "I can't believe they were doing such illicit things within the walls of Hogwarts without ever getting caught. Unbelievable!"

"I'm not worried about the others," Lavender said. "I just don't know what _I'm _going to do."

Parvati was stunned. "You aren't considering taking him back, are you?"

"Well…"

Ginny piped up. "Lavender, he broke your heart! Can you really trust him?"

She shrugged, and the tears began to fall again. "I don't know. But I still love him…"

"Then trust your heart," Hermione said. "Don't make any hasty decisions, of course. Think everything over. But you'll know what's right in the end."

Lavender smiled at Hermione. "You should maybe listen to your own advice, darling."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. The thing we talked about a few weeks ago."

Hermione realized she was referring to her dilemma with Ron and Anthony. "Oh…that. Too late."

Lavender's jaw dropped. "What? You mean you talked to Ron?"

Ginny held up a hand. "Hold it. Now _I'm _lost. A few weeks ago? You and Ron broke up just last night!"

"You and Ron broke up?" Lavender and Parvati exclaimed at the same time. Both were looking in Hermione's direction.

Hermione sighed. "Yes, we did. It's a long story."

Parvati shrugged. "We like long stories."

"Well, Ron and I had been having problems. I was feeling distant from him."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Anthony Goldstein, would it?"

Hermione stared at her. "What are you, a mind-reader?"

Parvati laughed. "No, I'm just a good observer. You and him were always sneaking glances at each other in class. You spent a ton of time together, even when you weren't doing your prefect rounds."

Ginny spoke up. "Hermione, _please_ tell me you didn't cheat on Ron. I just got through lecturing him about being silly for not trusting you."

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't cheat on him, technically."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione tried hard not to cry, but her attempts failed. "Last night…Anthony and I…we…Oh, Merlin…"

Lavender covered her mouth with her hand. "You didn't."

"I did…"

"You shagged him?"

"No, but that doesn't make it any less terrible."

Parvati eyed Hermione questioningly. "What exactly happened, then?"

"We were only going to talk! I was so upset about Ron. During rounds I couldn't stop thinking about him. I was crying, so Anthony walked me to his room so I could calm down. I was just so mad about Ron not trusting me, so I snapped. I kissed Anthony. He kissed me back. We fooled around. It was all fun and games until I started remembering all of the reasons why I loved Ron. All of my anger suddenly turned into guilt, and I ran for it. I'm so stupid!"

"Why'd you do it to begin with, Hermione?"

Hermione hung her head and stared at the ground. "I don't know. I have no idea what got into me. I was just feeling so trapped."

"Trapped?"

"I was thinking about what you had said," she told Parvati. "You were having so much fun just being…free. When Anthony and I started becoming closer as friends, I started thinking it might be fun to try it if only once. So last night when Ron…" Hermione paused briefly, "…when Ron broke up with me, I just snapped. I had rounds with Anthony and I was so upset so I just figured it wouldn't hurt. But it did. Now I feel awful."

"I've been doing some thinking too, Hermione," Parvati said. "It seems that the three of you were right. I'm beginning to believe love is actually possible. And honestly, Hermione, you're lucky to have found Ron so early in life. You two were made for each other."

Hermione sniffled. "The only problem is that I've probably ruined it all. He'll never forgive me for this."

Ginny shook her head. "He may be a bit put off at first, but he'll come around. He loves you and he'll never stop. It's been that way for as long as I've known the two of you."

"It's true," Lavender said. "You're the only two people I know who can fight so much and still be head over heels for each other at the end of the day. This is just a bigger fight than usual."

"You think so?"

"Definitely," Ginny said. "You two just need to have a good, long talk."

"So do you and Draco," Lavender said.

"And you and Seamus," Hermione said.

_Same for me and Ezra,_ Parvati thought.

* * *

The girls spent about another hour or two in Hermione's room catching up on everything that was happening in each other's lives. After some prying from Lavender and Hermione, Parvati had eventually confessed to having a minor fling with someone. She never gave up Professor Flaherty's name, as she didn't want it leaking somehow and resulting in his termination for teaching. Only Ginny knew the whole truth, and she kept the secret, just as she had promised.

Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati emerged from Hermione's room feeling a lot more cheery than they had all afternoon. They were about to head up to the their dormitories when someone said Lavender's name. Seamus emerged from one of the dark corners in the back.

"Can I talk to you?" Seamus asked.

Lavender sighed. "I'm really tired. Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

"It'll only take a minute. Please?"

Lavender turned to her friends. "I'll be up soon, okay?" As Ginny and Parvati ascended the staircase, Lavender reluctantly walked back to where Seamus stood. He was about to reach for her hands, but she tucked them into the pockets of her robe before he could.

"What is it? Make this quick."

He nodded. "I know how angry you must be with me."

"Nah, really?" Lavender snorted.

"And I know I don't even deserve to be speaking with you right now. But I just have to say it. I still love you, Lavender. I'm so sorry about what I did, but please know never meant to hurt you."

Lavender stared at him, but said nothing.

Seamus continued. "I don't expect your forgiveness, but I'm going to ask for it. Please forgive me, Lavender. Let me still be yours. Let me love you." He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "Will you stay? Will you let me try to fix this? I love you."

"Seamus, I-"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry this chapter has taken forever to come out! I will try to update faster for the next one. Thanks for being so patient with me :-)

I had honestly intended for this to be the final chapter (with the exception of a short epilogue). But then I thought...nah! :-D I decided it wouldn't make sense to throw all of my characters through the emotional wringer in the previous chapter and fix it all right away - that seemed too rushed. Besides, after reading the reviews, I got the vibe than many of you would never forgive me if I ended the story without introducing you to Ginny and Draco's little one. That would be very cruel indeed! Lol

So, that being said, there will be two more chapters after this, plus the epilogue. However, I think I may just make the epilogue the last "section" of the final chapter. It's not very long so I don't think I can justify uploading it separately. I'm still tweaking it a bit, though, so maybe it will become long enough. What do all of you think? Would you rather it be separate (if it isn't too short), or would you not mind it being included as part of the last chapter? Let me know what you think. :-)


	11. Hello and Goodbye

**_Chapter 10 - Hello and Goodbye_**

There was a fair bit of tension in the Ancient Runes classroom on Monday. Hermione, for the first time that year, sat in the back of the room with Parvati. She never had before because Parvati was always so insistent on passing notes during class, which irritated Hermione to no end. But on this particular day, she decided she wouldn't mind so much. She just wanted to sit as far away from Anthony as possible. She didn't know what to say to him yet.

Parvati, however, much to Hermione's surprise, kept to herself for most of the class. She seemed content with simply resting her head on her arm and gazing at the icy lake outside the window. Whether it was because she was bored with what Professor Flaherty was teaching or if it was because something was bothering her, Hermione didn't know. Being honest with herself, she realized she didn't care. She was too preoccupied with trying to make it through class unnoticed by the Ravenclaw Head Boy sitting at the front of the room.

When Professor Flaherty dismissed the class, Hermione didn't run off as quickly as she did on a typical day. Instead, she lingered until she saw Anthony leave the room. She waited a few moments after that before getting up from her chair.

"Parvati, are you coming?" Hermione asked.

Parvati shook her head. "You go ahead. I have to talk to Professor Flaherty about something. I'll catch up with you later."

Hermione shrugged, clearly not noticing how flustered Parvati appeared to be, and exited the classroom. She was barely three steps out of the door when she heard her name.

"Hermione?" It was Anthony.

Hermione mentally smacked herself for not guessing he would have waited for her. She reluctantly turned toward him.

"Hi, Anthony. How…how are you?"

He shrugged. "I've had better days, I suppose. You?"

"I'm alright." Hermione hesitated before carrying on. "Listen, Anthony, about the other night…"

He cut her off. "There's no need to explain. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You left quite frantically. I was worried about you, that's all."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine. Eventually, that is."

He was silent for a moment, as if he were trying to find the right words. When he spoke, his words sounded rather somber.

"Would you mind if we went somewhere to talk? Not right now, I mean, but sometime soon. I just feel like I did something wrong." He sighed. "I wouldn't mind an explanation, I suppose."

Hermione would have normally became defensive after such a comment, but she honestly couldn't blame him. She felt awful for what she had done. She had known he had romantic feelings for her, and took advantage of them to make herself feel better. She had treated his heart like a young child treats a new toy: she played with it for a while, then simply tossed it to the curb. It was so unlike her.

_I'm such a bitch__,_ Hermione thought.

But he was right - she really did owe him an explanation. And she wasn't going to lie about anything, either. She was finished with lying, both to him and to Ron. It was unfair to let Anthony assume things were his own fault. He liked her, she came onto him, and he responded. That wasn't a crime. He wasn't the one in the wrong.

"Yes, we should talk," Hermione said. "I have a free period after lunch. Could you possibly meet me in the library? Around, say, one o'clock?"

He nodded. "I can do that."

At that moment, Parvati stepped out of the classroom. "You're still here, Hermione? I thought you were going to…" she stopped when she saw who she was with. "Oh, hello Anthony. Sorry to interrupt."

"Nah, it's alright," he said. "I was just leaving. See you later, Hermione." He nodded to both girls before departing.

"See you later?" Parvati repeated Anthony's words. "What's that supposed to mean? I thought you were done with this…thing you had."

"Parvati, I have to tell him what happened. I owe him at least that."

Parvati shrugged. "Fair enough. Come on, we're going to be late."

* * *

Lavender sat alone in the back of the Transfiguration room even though there was a vacant seat at the table where Hermione and Parvati resided. Seamus was at the table next to them, and in Lavender's opinion, that was too close for comfort at the moment.

She wasn't really sure why she ran away from Seamus two nights before when he tried to talk to her. He had been prepared implore for forgiveness and attempt to convince her to stay with him. After all the heartache he had put her through, she should have basked in having that sort of power over him. She had wanted him on hands and knees, at her mercy, ready to give anything to win her heart back.

_But I ran,_ Lavender thought. _I ran because I didn't know what to say to him._

Lavender knew what she would have liked to do. She would have loved to tell him that she was his forever before pulling him into the tight embrace she missed so much. He had tried to talk to her a couple of times after that over the weekend, but she managed to get away each time. She really did want to forgive him, but something was holding her back, and Lavender couldn't figure out what it was. Perhaps there was still some part of her that did not trust him. Maybe she needed more healing time. Or maybe, just maybe, he had broken her heart beyond repair.

_Maybe I'll never love again…_

"Good morning, everyone," Professor McGonagall addressed the class, bringing Lavender back from her mess of thoughts. "I'd like to start by giving you your next assignment."

She received groans and mumbles in response.

"Perhaps you'll all feel a little better when I tell you that you'll be working in pairs?"

"Do we get to choose our own partners?" Dean asked.

"Don't push it, Mr. Thomas," Professor McGonagall said. "I will be assigning partners. Unless you'd all prefer to work alone?"

When the class remained quiet, she continued. "That's what I thought. Now, Mr. Weasley will be working with Miss Parkinson. Mr. Malfoy, with Miss Bones. Mr. Macmillan will pair up with Miss Granger…"

As Professor McGonagall walked around the room pairing people off, Lavender was worried she'd end up with Seamus, or even worse, Hannah. She sighed in relief, however, when Seamus was assigned to Padma and Hannah got Harry. After this, she paid little attention to who would be working together. Finally, Professor McGonagall arrived at Lavender's table.

"Oh, dear me. I was certain there was an even number of students in this class. Perhaps I miscounted," she said, glancing at her class roster again.

Lavender did not like the idea of being the only student without a partner, but she decided it would be better than being thrown into a group of three with either Seamus or Hannah.

"It's alright, Professor," she said. "I can work alone, if that's -"

But Lavender was interrupted by the classroom door opening. The entire class turned to see Terry Boot walking in.

"Mr. Boot, class began five minutes ago," Professor McGonagall said. "Be sure to see me after class. Oh, and take a seat with Miss Brown. The two of you will be working together."

Lavender's heart sunk. _Perhaps there IS worse than working with Seamus or Hannah,_ she thought. It's not that Lavender minded Terry; though she hadn't spent a lot of time with him throughout the course of their schooling, he seemed like a decent person that she could get along with. But after knowing what she knew, she wasn't sure how to act around him, and she got the feeling that he felt the same way. After all, Terry didn't know that _she_ knew about Seamus and Hannah's infidelity, too. He had no idea that she'd seen him that night in the corridor, broken and on the verge of tears. He did not know that he and Lavender had something, however disheartening, in common: they shared the same anguish of being betrayed by the ones they cared about.

After Professor McGonagall went over the details of the assignment, class went on as usual. Lavender could see the entire class from the back of the room. She observed Hermione fiercely taking notes, as always. Draco was resting his head on his arm and had a glazed, wondrous look in his eyes because thoughts of Ginny and his unborn child were undoubtedly running through his mind. Having been at quidditch practice so late the night before, Harry had drifted off into a quiet slumber, and Ron took this opportunity to snag his Charms homework to copy. From this, Lavender gathered that Ron and Hermione had not spoken to each other yet, because Ron usually went to Hermione, not Harry, for homework copying.

The class was finally concluded, and Lavender had every intention of scurrying away as fast as possible. Terry, however, stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "Before you leave, maybe we should work out some time to meet in the library. You know, for the assignment."

She nodded. "Sure. Are you free this evening?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you there after dinner, then."

"Alright."

Terry nodded and proceeded to the front of the room where he would most likely receive a second lecture from McGonagall for his tardiness. Lavender was happy their conversation had been kept brief and strictly school related. She would have died on the spot if he had brought up Seamus and Hannah. Lavender figured if she and Terry could make it through the assignment without any mention of them, then everything would be alright. She didn't want things getting more awkward between them than they already were, if such a thing was even possible.

As Lavender gathered her belongings, Seamus showed up at her side out of nowhere.

"Hey, Lav," he said in too casual of a tone. "Want to get lunch together and talk?"

Lavender sighed. "No, not really."

"Maybe dinner then? Or we could just meet up in the common room later and-"

She cut him off. "Look, Seamus, I know we need to talk things over, and we will. I just need some time to think, alright? Give me a little space."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry." He still did not leave, however. "So, I see you have Terry for a partner."

"Er, yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing at all. It just a downer when you're stuck working with someone you don't really know."

"It doesn't bother me much."

"I know I wouldn't want that. I'm glad I got Padma. I've gotten to know her a bit since she started dating Dean. She's really smart. But then again, she's in Ravenclaw, so I guess that comes with the territory."

"Terry is in Ravenclaw, too, Seamus."

"Yeah, I know, but at least I can trust Padma without worry."

Lavender eyed him questioningly. "Are you saying Terry's not trustworthy?"

"Not necessarily. I'm just saying you can't really trust people you don't know all that well, you know?"

Lavender was getting frustrated. She didn't really see a point in Seamus attempting to make her dislike Terry. She already knew about his fling with Hannah, so it's not like he could be concerned about her finding out from Terry.

"Seamus, just…" Lavender sighed. "Just go away. Please." It sounded harsher than she had intended, but at least he got the hint this time.

"If I leave you alone, do you promise to think about what I said the other night?"

She rolled her eyes. "I promise. Now go."

He nodded. "Alright. I'll maybe catch you in the common room later, yeah?"

As he left, Lavender merely scowled. How could he expect her to think if he never left her alone?

* * *

At lunch, Ginny was clearly melancholy. Her eyes looked longingly at the section of the Slytherin table where Draco usually resided. He wasn't there, and Ginny was both relieved and dismayed by this. She truly wanted to see him. It had only been two days since she broke up with him, but she missed him more than anything. However, she wasn't sure if she could face him.

As if she was reading Ginny's mind, Hermione spoke up. "Have you thought any more about what we talked about on Saturday?"

Ginny broke her gaze from the Slytherin table and looked at Hermione. She shrugged.

Hermione continued. "Gin, you really should tell him. Let him leave school with you if he wants. He's perfectly capable of making that decision on his own."

Ginny sighed. "Say I do tell him my reasoning for leaving him. It would give him two options. One, he can say he's staying at Hogwarts, which would make him look like a deadbeat dad. Or, he could leave with me out of guilt. That's putting him into a trap. It wouldn't be fair."

"But it's fair for you to go through this alone?"

When Ginny said nothing, Hermione sighed and carried on. "You're going to have to talk to him eventually. He's the father of your child - you can't avoid him forever. And believe me, when the two of you finally do talk, he's going to want an explanation. If you aren't going to tell him the truth, what will you say?"

"I don't know. I'll think of something."

"You might want to think fast," Hermione said, gesturing toward the Slytherin table. "He won't take his eyes off of you."

Ginny whirled around to see that Draco had finally arrived in the Great Hall, and he was indeed staring at her. His face had an almost wavering look to it. It was obvious he want to run to her, talk to her, but he had no idea whether he should. Ginny saw him, for the first time in a while, reach for his fork and tap it twice on the table.

"He wants to talk," Ginny said to Hermione without taking her eyes off of Draco. "He wants us to meet tonight."

"Are you going to go?"

"I'm not sure…"

But as Ginny gazed at Draco for a couple more seconds, she had a sudden change of heart. In the past, whenever Draco signaled for a meeting in the Room of Requirement, there was never a need for confirmation. Ginny would always be there without question. But this time, she could see that Draco needed an answer. He knew there was a chance that she wouldn't show up. There was an unfathomable pleading in the eyes she loved so much. His desperation was as clear as day and she could not bear it. She still loved him. She still wanted him in her life.

Ginny gave in. She gave him a subtle nod, and she saw his eyes soften. Then he did something unexpected, something that Ginny couldn't believe he risked doing. He mouthed the words _I love you_ before exiting the Great Hall in a hurry.

Ginny glanced around, making sure no one had saw. The only person who seemed to was Hermione, who was grinning at her. Ginny couldn't help but smile herself.

* * *

Rather than taking a seat in one of the chairs as she usually did, Parvati paced around the abandoned classroom on the fourth floor. Her stomach grumbled because she was missing lunch, but she didn't let it bother her. She could make up for it later with the supply of Honeydukes sweets she had stashed in her trunk.

She was rather disheartened as she looked around the little room she had become so fond of over the past few months. If a random person were to pass by, they wouldn't find anything particularly special about it. A dusty, ancient desk and three chairs, one of which was broken, were all that was left for a visitor to make the conclusion that classes once took place there. There weren't any elaborate decorations, and the view from the window wasn't as grand as it was from other areas of the castle. Yet somehow, Parvati had grown to love it. It had acted as a refuge from all the gloom and heartache that had lingered with her since the beginning of the school year.

This is precisely why, Parvati had decided, this would be her final visit. It was time for her to stop hiding and face the music. Scurrying away to a dingy old room to shag her engaged Ancient Runes teacher whenever she was in a foul mood was never going to solve her problems. She did not want to live like that anymore. She had stayed behind in his class that morning to tell him to meet her. Though she didn't tell him why, she hoped he would come anyway.

When Professor Flaherty arrived, he seemed rather sheepish. He clearly did not know whether she had invited him up here to make amends or to yell at him some more. As uncomfortable as he was, he was the first to speak up.

"Parvati, this whole thing is a mess. Upsetting you was never my intention."

"Just tell me one thing," she said. "When you suggested taking things down a notch and only being friends, was it because you were planning to propose to Genevieve? Be honest," she added quickly.

He sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking about proposing to her. I've been playing around with the idea since last spring. I hadn't actually planned on when to do it. At Christmas, it just seemed like a great moment, so I did. Breaking things off between us had _nothing _to do with it, I promise."

Parvati shrugged. "Alright. It doesn't really matter now, anyway, but thank you. I needed to know."

He eyed her questioningly. "What do you mean it doesn't matter? You would have never become so distraught if it didn't matter to you."

"It did, but it doesn't anymore," Parvati said. "It bothered me so much because I felt like I had lost you. But I've given it some thought, and now that all seems so absurd. How could I lose something I never actually had?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ezra, let's be honest. You were never actually mine. And that's fine, because we never wanted it that way." Parvati leaned against the wall. "I guess for a while it felt like you were all I had. You were the only one I could open up to, the only one who really understood me. We knew the shagging would end eventually. I suppose I just didn't expect you to get tied up again so soon. It felt like…" she paused, taking a breath, "…like I was just a substitute."

Professor Flaherty walked toward her. "You know that wasn't the case, Parvati."

She nodded. "I do now. But at the time, it was just a huge blow."

"I'm sorry. I should've-"

She cut him off. "No apologies. Like I said, it doesn't matter anymore. It's in the past. It's time for us to move on."

"What are you saying?"

Parvati almost changed her mind about everything. They were such good friends. She hadn't wanted things to go this route, but after plenty of thought, she knew it was the only way she could truly get her life going in the right direction. She took a deep breath.

"This is the last time we can meet. Once I leave this room, I won't be coming back."

"Parvati! Just because we aren't shagging, it doesn't mean-"

"This isn't about that, Ezra! The fact is that we did, many times. We can't deny that we feel some loyalty toward each other. But you're marrying Genevieve, and I am going to find someone of my own someday. We can't keep seeing each other like this, in private, if we ever want to truly move on. It just has to stop."

He sighed. "I know you're right. But it sucks. I love spending time with you. I care about you too much."

"And I care about you. But that's why this has to end."

She closed the gap between them by pulling him into one final embrace.

"I didn't want it to end like this," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," Parvati said. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading for the door. She looked over her shoulder one last time.

"I'll see you in class on Wednesday." She smiled. "Professor."

* * *

Hermione was waiting anxiously in the library at her favorite table in the back. She had arrived early, as usual. She knew she had to get this over with, but she was not looking forward to it in the least.

Her plan was to be completely straight with Anthony. She was going to tell him that she did find him attractive, but that her true love was, and always would be, Ron. Hermione had tried, to no avail, to come up with a way to say this so it wouldn't be so hurtful to him.

Later, she would talk to Ron. At least, she hoped she would. She had sent a note his way in Transfiguration asking him to come to her dormitory later that evening. Whether he showed up or not was in his hands, but Hermione was optimistic. After what Ginny told her two days prior about the conversation she'd had with him, it sounded like Ron would be open to talking.

"Hello, Hermione," Anthony said as he approached the table. Hermione tore her gaze from the nearby window to face the friend who she assumed would probably hate her in a few moments time.

"Anthony, hi," she replied, forcing a slight smile as he sat down across from her.

"So, please enlighten me. Friday night - what happened?" He didn't waste any time.

Hermione took a deep breath. "The truth?"

He nodded. "The truth."

"I'm still in love with Ron."

"I thought you two broke up."

"We did. But it was for a stupid, meaningless reason and it never should have happened."

"It wasn't meaningless to you," he said, frowning. "He really hurt you that night. I consoled you while you cried. Or have you forgotten that already?"

She felt her heart twinge a bit at his words. "No, of course I haven't, and I appreciate all of it. But the truth is that I screwed up that night. I shouldn't have come on to you-"

"-because you still love Ron."

She nodded, a lump in her throat beginning to form. "Yes."

He shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "What did I tell you that night? I told you it was a bad idea-"

"I know, and I'm sorry-"

"You're _sorry?_ I'm the one who's sorry! I'm sorry I ever let myself believe that you actually cared about me."

"Anthony, please don't say that! You know I care about you!"

"You know what I mean, Hermione. I mean caring about me in the way you care about Ron. I knew there was a slim to nothing chance of me ever becoming so lucky, but then Friday, everything that happened…" he swallowed and took a breath, "…I thought I actually had a chance with you."

"I'm so sorry…"

"Just tell me why, Hermione," he said. "You knew how I felt about you. If you never had any intention of being with me, then why play with my heart like that? Why would you be so cruel?"

His words stung, but Hermione knew she deserved it. He was completely right. She could only imagine how she would feel if the very same thing ever happened to her.

"Because I _did_ like you."

"Yeah, I know. You like me as a friend, I get it-"

"That's not what I mean," Hermione said, cutting him off. "I've grown quite attracted to you over the past few months."

He snorted. "As if."

"Honestly, I did!" she retorted. "Getting to know you this year has been great. I didn't know I had so much in common with someone else in this school. I've never had intellectual conversations like the ones we've had with anyone else."

"So basically, I'm a good friend. Isn't that what I've been saying all along?"

"But it was more than that," Hermione said. She sighed. "I was just drawn to you for some reason. I felt myself wanting to spend more time with you, even if it was just for rounds. I would daydream about you in class. There was a time when I actually considered leaving Ron for you."

He looked up at her. "When was this?"

"Well, I suppose I toyed with the idea here and there, but I don't think I actually took it seriously until the day you said you had feelings for me."

He nodded. "Of course."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't truly consider me until you knew for sure that I was feeling something for you."

"Oh, Anthony, don't say that. When you put it that way it sounds awful…"

"Well, it is, isn't it?" He sighed. "Honestly, though, I'm guilty of that myself." Hermione tilted her head in confusion and he continued. "I didn't admit my feelings for you out of the blue. I waited until you thought you liked me too."

"But I never said anything."

He shrugged. "You didn't have to. I would catch you staring at me in class. The more time we spent together, the more I realized there was something there. And I kind of just went for it, and it was a great idea until now."

Hermione hung her head and looked at the ground. The inevitable tears came, but she fought them with all of her might.

Anthony spoke again. "I understand that you love Ron. If that's what is meant to be, then so be it. But it hurts, Hermione. It's not something I'm going to be able to get over right away."

She raised her head. "What are you saying?"

It took him a moment to choke out the words. "Except for rounds, we probably shouldn't see each other for a while."

"But Anthony, we can still be friends, can't we?"

He looked out the window. "I want us to be, Hermione. Truly, I do. I've never been so comfortable around someone the way I am around you." He looked back at her. She could see a shimmer of tears lingering in the back of his eyes now. "But that's why we need to stay away from each other for now. I have to get over the feelings I have for you that are anything but platonic. You _really_ hurt me, Hermione. That's going to take some time to heal."

Hermione felt a tear escape her eye and slide slowly down her cheek. She felt awful. "I'm so sorry, Anthony. I'm sorry for everything."

He nodded, then got up from his chair. "I know you are. Goodbye, Hermione. I'll see you at rounds." And with that, he was gone.

Hermione stayed in the library for quite sometime, unable to move. She had never felt so low. She missed him and his friendship already, and now she feared that she may never get it back. She wanted to run after him but she knew that would make things worse. He needed space, he needed time. The least she could do was give him that.

But she missed him.

And Ron.

_Ron…_

_

* * *

_

After dinner, Ginny arrived in the Room of Requirement to find Draco already anxiously waiting for her. He sprung from the couch and walked over to her the second she stepped through the door.

"Ginny…" was all he whispered before he threw his arms around her. Ginny couldn't help it - she did the same to him. It just felt so good, so _right_, to be in his presence again. But she knew she had to stand by her word. She was leaving Hogwarts, he was staying, and they'd work things out later on once the baby arrived. Yes, that's how it would be. She was adamant about it.

When they broke apart, Draco said, "I know why you did it."

"Why I did what?"

"Why you broke things off between us. You were trying to protect me."

She snorted. "What, did Hermione tell you or something?"

"No, she didn't. Believe it or not, I can figure things out on my own. So am I right, then?"

She rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch. "So what if you are? It doesn't change anything."

"Of course it does," Draco said, sitting down beside her. "While I find what you were trying to do ever so noble and generous, it's just not going to work. Sorry, love."

Ginny shot him a look. "What are you on about? I already told you. I'm leaving, and you're going to stay here and finish school, and -"

He cut her off. "See, that's where you're wrong. I'm coming with you."

She was stunned. "No, absolutely not. School comes first."

"No, Ginny, _you_ come first. I couldn't care less about this place."

"What are you talking about? You _do _care about school. You make excellent grades, you're nearly top of your class! Why throw all of that away?"

He shrugged. "Priorities change," he whispered. He placed his hand on Ginny's growing belly. At three months, her school robes were still able to hide it well from her classmates, but the small bump was obvious to the touch. "You and this baby are my life now, Gin. I don't want you going through this alone. I'm leaving Hogwarts with you, whether you like it or not."

Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes but she would not let them. "No, Draco. You have to stay here. It's the only way."

"Why are you so stubborn?" Draco asked. "Listen. The other night when you broke things off, I spent hours awake in my bed trying to figure out what had gone wrong. I know there was the whole Parvati thing, which meant _nothing_, by the way, but I knew there had to be something more. Something bigger was bothering you, I could tell. It drove me insane thinking that I did something wrong, something to make you not want me to be part of your life anymore."

"I didn't mean for you to feel that way. I planned to explain everything eventually."

He nodded. "I know. After a while, something just clicked in my head. When Hermione, Pansy, myself, and the others all became prefects in our fifth year, we had to attend a meeting with the Head Boy and Girl on the train before we got to school. They went over our duties and whatnot, but they also informed us of some unspoken rules at Hogwarts. The pregnancy rule was one of them. Both parties involved are subject to expulsion. Once I remembered that, I knew why you broke things off."

"It's why I didn't tell anyone your name. That's why I wanted to keep us a secret."

"I know, love. But here's the thing. Once I realized why you did what you did, I went to Professor Snape and turned myself in."

"What?" Ginny exclaimed. "Are you mental?"

"If loving you and wanting to be there for you every step of the way is mental, then yes."

"But Draco, don't you realize what this means? You'll have to leave Hogwarts, but I'll be at the Burrow and you'll be at Malfoy Manor. So what's the point of you leaving? We'll still be apart!"

"No we won't!" Draco said. "Just calm down and listen. After I talked to Snape, I asked his permission to leave the grounds to visit home briefly. I took the Floo from his office to the Manor. I talked with my mother about everything, and she decided, considering the circumstances, that she'd allow me access to my vault early."

"What do you mean, _your_ vault?"

"When I was born, my father ordered a Gringotts vault in my name, separate from the family one. Every month for nearly sixteen years, he added to it so I'd be set once I left Hogwarts until I got a job. It's probably the only good thing the man did for me my entire life. My dad's rule was that I was not supposed to have access to it until I graduated school, but since my mom holds the key now, she's going to let me in a few months early. This weekend, Snape is letting me leave the grounds temporarily again. I'll be going with my mother to Gringotts, taking some money from my vault, and getting a flat in London for you, me, and the baby."

For a while, Ginny didn't say anything. It was a lot to take in. Could everything actually work out like that? It seemed to surreal to her. She hadn't grown up around money; everything had always been a struggle. For Draco to simply say he's buying them a flat felt seemed too easy.

"What's the catch?" Ginny asked quietly.

Draco eyed her with confusion. "Catch?"

"I mean, how do I fit into all of this? I have to contribute somehow. It's only fair."

Draco smiled and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Ginny, if it's money you're concerned about, don't be. Not to sound arrogant, but I have that aspect more than taken care of, thanks to my dad. We'll be fine."

"It's not just that. It's scary. The thought of living away from school and parents, with a _baby…"_

"No one said it was going to be easy, but we'll make it work," Draco said reassuringly. "Besides, we're fortunate to have such a great support system. My mum is so eager to help with everything, and I'll bet yours is, too. Hermione will never turn her back on you, nor will Harry, Ron, Lavender, or Parvati." He took her hands in his. "And at the end of the day, we'll always have each other. I love you, Ginny, and I'm not going anywhere. You, me, the baby…we're a family now."

Ginny threw her arms around Draco and buried her face into his neck, allowing the tears of joy to fall freely. For the first time since she learned she was pregnant, she truly felt like she would be able to get through it. Perhaps there had always been a small part of her that worried Draco would panic and leave her. But now she was beyond certain that he was in this for the long haul, just as she was.

For Ginny, time seemed to stop whenever she was with Draco, so she had no idea how long they sat there holding each other in the Room of Requirement. When they finally broke apart, Draco was the first to speak.

"So, we still have one thing we have to do," he said.

She knew exactly what he was referring to. Ron, Harry, Luna, and so many others still had no idea that they were together or that he was the father of her baby.

She smiled. "When should we tell them?"

* * *

"So I'm thinking we should attempt the one on page 493. There are couple of tricky charms, but it has the fewest items to transfigure. What do you think?" When he received no response, Terry asked, "Lavender, are you even listening?"

Lavender had allowed her thoughts drift off to Seamus and the inevitable conversation she'd have to have with him.

"What? Oh, Terry, I'm so sorry. Could you repeat what you said?"

Terry, clearly annoyed, closed the textbook in front of him. "You don't seem very focused today. We can meet some other time." He got up to leave, but Lavender grabbed his arm.

"No, don't go. I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."

He reluctantly sat back down. "I do as well. All the more reason to get this assignment done as quickly as possible."

Lavender nodded. "I know. I just can't stop thinking about…" she stopped herself, "…never mind."

"Right," Terry said. Though Lavender did not know it, Terry was aware she was about to begin talking about Seamus, and he was just as glad she caught herself in time as she was. He began going over his ideas for the assignment when a certain Hufflepuff prefect approached their table.

"Hello," Hannah said a little too casually. "Terry, would you mind meeting me later? I could use some pointers for McGonagall's assignment."

Terry refused to look up at her and kept his gaze on his work. "No, Hannah. I absolutely cannot meet you later." He said this quietly, but the anger in his voice was impossible to miss.

Hannah frowned. "Well, you don't have to be so damn rude about it!" she huffed before turning to walk away, flipping her long, ash blonde hair in the process.

"Honestly, the nerve of that girl!" Terry muttered once she disappeared, still looking down at schoolwork strewn across the table. "To ask me for help after she…" he suddenly stopped, looking up at Lavender. "Sorry. It was my turn to get carried away, I suppose."

Lavender shook her head. "It's fine. Trust me, I know all too well what that's like."

Though Terry smiled at this, the brief encounter clearly upset him. Lavender could see the sadness lingering in his eyes - she suspected she looked the same way every time she thought about Seamus. _Maybe he needs someone to talk to about it,_ Lavender thought. She decided it wouldn't hurt to try.

"Terry…how is everything?"

He looked back up from his work, bewildered. "Come again?"

Lavender sighed. "I know what happened with you and Hannah. I overheard the two of you in the hallway the other night."

"Oh…" he said. "Well, everything's fine. It was just a bit of a fight, nothing to worry about…"

"I know how you feel, Terry. Seamus cheated on me, too."

Terry's face became sympathetic. "I didn't know you knew."

"Ginny caught him with Hannah before Christmas. She didn't tell me until this past weekend. I didn't believe her until I heard you and Hannah."

"It just kills me that she, they, would do such a thing, you know?" Terry said, shaking his head. "I mean, I _really_ cared about her. It was that damn Muggle Club we were all a part of. She said she stopped, kicked the habit…I was stupid enough to believe her."

"She was your girlfriend. You had no reason not to trust her. It wasn't your fault."

He shrugged. "Yeah, I know. Guess I was wrong, eh?" He chuckled a little. "You know, she keeps asking me to get back together with her. Is that bollocks or what?"

Lavender had to laugh. "Seamus is doing the same thing. He won't leave me alone. You think you will? Get back together with Hannah, I mean."

Terry shook his head. "Nah. If things were to happen a few years down the road from now, then maybe. But right now I just feel so betrayed. I don't think I can trust her again."

"Makes sense to me."

"How about you? Think you'll ever forgive Seamus?"

Lavender shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'd like to just leave what's happened in the past and start fresh. I still care a lot about him. It's a bit annoying, really."

He chuckled at this. "You're telling me."

"I think we will, though. I mean, he promised that he and Hannah haven't done anything since Ginny caught them a few weeks ago, so -"

Terry looked taken aback. "That's not true."

Lavender narrowed his eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

Terry realized he had let something slip that Lavender had no idea about. "Nothing, let's get this assignment started, yeah?"

"Terry…" Lavender said sternly.

He sighed and closed his book. "Want to know how _I_ found out Hannah was cheating on me?"

Lavender braced herself for the worst. "Probably not, but go on."

"I was on my way back from the library this past Friday night when I heard laughter coming from one of the classrooms up ahead. I figured it was a couple of first or second years goofing off so I decided to give them a little scare. But it wasn't," he paused, taking a breath. "Sure enough, there was Hannah, pinned down to a desk by Seamus, surrounded by liquor and pill bottles. Her blouse was undone, he had his hand up her skirt, and she was in the process of undoing his belt."

Lavender could feel her eyes becoming glazed with tears. "And you said this was just this past Friday?"

Terry nodded. He rested his hand on hers. "I'm so sorry, Lavender. After you told me you knew what Seamus did, I thought you knew the whole story, I swear."

"No, it's fine, it doesn't matter," Lavender lied. She couldn't breathe. Seamus had lied to her face. Again. And to think she was actually considering going back to him…she felt so stupid. No wonder Seamus was so adamant about her not trusting Terry. He just didn't want her to believe him when he told her the truth.

The library suddenly felt as if it were on fire. She needed to get out of there fast. She quickly began to gather her books.

"Maybe you were right, Terry. We should do this another time." It took her a great effort to say this without breaking down crying right there in front of him.

"Wait, Lavender, at least let me walk you back to Gryffindor Tower."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine." She was out the door in seconds.

As Lavender ran down the corridor, the tears began to roll down her face. She didn't care if anyone saw her. At this point, she didn't think she could feel any more humiliated than she already was. She didn't even pay attention to where she was going - she just kept running. In one deserted hallway, she stumbled and fell, sending her books flying across the stone floor. She didn't even bother to pick them up. She just sat there and cried her heart out.

Though it felt like hours, it was only a couple of minutes before Lavender heard footsteps approaching. The person knelt down beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't cry, Lavender. Please don't cry." It was Terry.

"How could he…how could he…" were the only coherent words Lavender choked out in between sobs.

Terry waited for her to calm down a bit before speaking again. "I'm so sorry, Lavender. I swear I didn't mean for you to get hurt all over again." He sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything."

She sniffled. Her breathing had returned to normal, though a few tears still streamed down her face. "No, I'm glad you did. I probably would have ended up going back to the bastard if you hadn't."

"Well, I'm glad you won't be. You shouldn't be hurting anymore."

"I just feel so foolish," Lavender breathed. "So _worthless."_

"You aren't. Seamus is the foolish one. He took advantage of your trust and kind heart, and you didn't deserve that. He and Hannah…well, karma is a beautiful thing. This will come back to bite them eventually."

"You think?"

Terry smiled. "Definitely." He gathered her books that had fallen, then offered his hand to help her up. "Come on."

She stood. "Come where?"

"Hogsmeade. Fancy a butterbeer?"

Lavender looked bewildered. "How are we supposed to get into Hogsmeade?"

"Secret passageway that Michael Corner showed me. He learned a thing or two by dating Ginny, sister of the Prank Masters."

"But what about the assignment?"

He shrugged. "I'm not really in the mood for homework tonight. Very un-Ravenclaw of me, I know, but I feel like celebrating."

"Celebrating what?"

He thought for a second, then simply said, "Life." He began to walk down the corridor. "You coming or what?" he said over his shoulder.

Lavender considered it for a moment. She knew it was risky, but she really did feel like getting away from the castle, away from Seamus.

_Oh, why not,_ she thought. She jogged down the corridor to catch up with Terry.

* * *

_No prefects to chase. No Harry to wish for. No Ezra to visit. What am I supposed to do with myself?_

For the first time in months, Parvati wasn't fussing over a guy. This was a weird feeling for her. She had always spent so much of her time thinking about whichever guy she was crushing on and plotting ways to win him over. This wasn't the case at the moment, and she all of a sudden had a bunch of extra free time.

However strange it was, she also found it to be quite liberating. She was taking a walk down by the frozen Black Lake as the sun was rapidly setting. If it were a month ago, she would have been thinking about Ernie Macmillan's sexy green eyes or Blaise Zabini's delectable lips. Instead, she was thinking about how beautiful the leafless trees looked sheathed in ice, or how delightful it felt to have the cold breeze of January brush lightly across her face. She had never noticed how crisp of a sound her feet made as they walked across freshly fallen snow. She marveled at the sight of Hogwarts in the distance, looking like a winter palace. And she had never seen Anthony Goldstein looking so sullen.

_Wait, what is he doing out here?_ Parvati thought. Anthony was up ahead, leaning against a tree and throwing stones at the frozen lake. This took Parvati by surprise as he was always so cheerful. Instead, he looked sad and lonely. _He must have talked to Hermione, _she thought.

Anthony did not notice Parvati approach him as he threw a large stone at the lake. It left a dent in the ice.

Parvati, with a sense of humor in her voice, said, "Careful. You don't want to disturb the grindylows."

Anthony looked up at her and gave a half-hearted smile. "I suppose you're right. I should probably head back inside, anyway. It's getting dark fast."

"I'll walk with you," Parvati said.

The pair walked in silence for a couple of minutes. They were focused on not slipping on the icy hill they had to climb to get to the castle. By the time they reached the top, they were both breathing heavily from both the climb and the cold.

As they proceeded toward the door to the Entrance Hall, Parvati figured she'd ask the obvious question.

"So, what happened between you and Hermione?"

Anthony sighed. "I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't walk to talk about it."

Parvati shrugged. "No matter. I'll just find out from her later."

He snorted, but said nothing. The colossal oak doors opened as they approached them, and they both sighed in content as they were greeted with the warmth the Entrance Hall had to offer. They stomped their feet on the stone floor to get rid of the snow that had accumulated on their boots before climbing their marble staircase on the left.

"May I ask you something, Parvati?" Anthony asked.

"I guess so."

"Have you ever felt so worthless, so heartbroken, that you just wanted to disappear?"

Parvati snorted. "It's a feeling I know all too well, I'm afraid. But I'm getting better."

"How do you mean?"

She stopped walking and leaned against the wall of the empty corridor they were now in. He stood in front of her.

"May I fill you in on a little secret?" Parvati asked.

He nodded. "By all means."

"I've felt worthless since the beginning of this year," she said. "Hermione had Ron. Lavender had Seamus. Ginny had…" she paused, not knowing whether it was safe to share that information yet, "Ginny had someone. My three best friends were happy and I was miserable and jealous, though I would never admit it."

"Hence why you went after me."

"You and a few others, yes. But I stopped. I'm not going to wallow in self pity anymore. What good does that do me, anyway? I'm going to focus on me right now, and if I'm meant to find love, then I will when the time is right."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Honestly, I'm not," she confessed. "But it seems to have worked for everyone else. I may as well give it a shot."

"You're lucky to have that kind of faith." He shook his head and looked at the ground. "I just can't stop thinking about her…"

Parvati sighed and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Hermione was always Ron's. Those two were made for each other." It was quite a blunt statement to someone who was hurting, but Parvati had never been one to sugarcoat things. "Trust me, you'll find your love, too."

He looked up at her. "I think she _is_ my love."

She shrugged. "You'll have to think again, then. Sorry." She smiled. "Look, if someone like me can put a crush behind me and think positively about it, then anyone can. And that's coming from a person who didn't believe true love existed until about three days ago." She began to back away from him. "Cheer up, Anthony. Everything works itself out. It all happens for a reason." And with that, she gave him one last reassuring smile before spinning on her heel and walking to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

Hermione was alone in her room, curled up in a ball on her bed and hugging one of her pillows against her chest. She watched as the winter wind caused the trees outside of her window to sway and shiver. She was still feeling awful about Anthony while she waited for Ron. She wasn't even sure if Ron would show up. Part of her wished he wouldn't - she had already done enough heartbreaking for one day.

When she heard a light tap on her door, Hermione braced herself before getting up and answering it. She took a deep breath before she opened the door.

The look on Ron's face was unreadable; he looked neither happy or angry to see her, and she couldn't tell what he was feeling about this senseless breakup. _Well, I guess it wasn't so senseless,_ Hermione thought. _It was a bit of an eye-opener._ Hermione and Ron sat down on the edge of her bed. Neither of them spoke for several minutes until Hermione broke the silence.

"I wasn't cheating on you," she whispered.

"I know."

"I really _was_ meeting him only for rounds."

"I know."

"And I love you."

"I know," he said again. He sighed and faced her. "And I love you, Hermione. I'm so sorry. I acted like such a prat that night."

"It wasn't just your fault," Hermione said. "I didn't help matters by keeping you in the dark about Ginny."

He shook his head. "It wasn't about Ginny really. I was just so…"

Hermione tilted her head. "You were what?"

He shrugged. "I was jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Jealous of Anthony," Ron said. "I have been all year. He gets to spend so much time with you and it drives me mad. I know you two are only friends, but…" he stopped for a minute, trying to find the right words. He spoke again, but in a quiet tone this time. "Look, I know how much the two of you have in common. You two can talk about your work and your books enthusiastically. I know you'll never be able to have that kind of relationship with me-"

"But Ron, what I have with you is _better_. I love the fact that we're so different. It makes everyday exciting. Anthony and I have almost too much in common. Spending time with him is like spending time with…well, myself."

_Oh, why hadn't I realized all of this BEFORE this mess started?_! she thought.

"Really?"

"Yes," Hermione said, biting her lip. She had to tell him. She swore she wouldn't lie anymore. "Ron, I…I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "I did like him. Anthony, I mean. Kind of. As more than a friend."

Hermione closed her eyes and waited for Ron's temper explosion that she was sure was inevitable, but it never came. She cracked her eyes open a bit and saw that he was merely looking at her. No red face, no hateful eyes, no wand aimed at her. Just Ron.

"Ron?"

He shrugged. "It happens."

Hermione was bewildered. Where was the yelling? The angry fists punching the air?

"Isn't this the part where you scream at me and call me a two-timing whore?"

"Of course not. C'mon, I'm not that hot-tempered, am I? Don't answer that," he added quickly with a grin.

"But you always snap when things go wrong," she said. She was still confused as to why he was so calm. "You always yell at me…" She stopped, realizing she was beginning to paint him as the bad guy, and this wasn't her intention.

"I know, and I'm trying to fix that," Ron said. "The other night got me thinking. I mean, accusing you of cheating with no proof whatsoever, then breaking up with you on the spot? All because of some weird temper problem? How stupid could I have been."

"You weren't stupid. I understand why you did it."

"But you shouldn't. You shouldn't have to accept me blowing up at you for no reason at all; that isn't right or fair. Ginny came to talk to me the other day. Well, actually she came to scold me, but that's besides the point. She just helped me realize what I had known all along but was just to dense to notice."

"And what was that?" Hermione whispered. She wasn't sure if this would be good or bad news.

Ron smiled and tucked on of her loose curls behind her ear. "That if I keep giving you a hard time and overreacting about silly, meaningless things, I might lose you for good. And I don't want that. I never want to lose you, Hermione, no matter what. I love you. I always have."

Hermione buried her face in his neck and he continued. "I don't want to be such capricious arse anymore, and I want you to know that I'm going to try to fix it. It'll probably take a little time, but I'm going to try. I want to be good to you."

His words pained Hermione because she still hadn't been completely honest with him. Ron's new 'trying not to overreact' thing was going to be tossed to the curb once he heard the full story. She just knew it. But she had to be honest, she had to tell him everything. The guilt would rip her apart if she didn't. She lifted her head from his shoulder to face him. There were traces of tear stains on her face already.

"Ron…" she began quietly, "I meant it when I said I kind of liked Anthony…"

He nodded solemnly. "I know. I had a feeling you did. But it's sort of normal, yeah?"

"How do you reckon?"

"I mean, you spend so much time with the guy. You were bound to feel a little attracted to him at some point. C'mon, are you going to tell me you never had a crush on Harry?"

Hermione blushed. "Well, once, in second year. It didn't last long, though. Only about a week…"

Ron laughed. "See what I mean, though? It can't be helped. I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't ever feel a slight attraction toward Padma at least once during all the times we've had rounds together."

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" Her voice trailed off. He was being so nice about everything and it was _not_ making her situation any easier.

Ron seemed to sense Hermione's discomfort. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Well…"

"Merlin, Hermione, you didn't actually cheat, did you?"

"No, not technically."

"Technically? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It was the night when you broke up with me," Hermione said, burying her face in her hands. The tears had begun to fall again. "I was so upset during rounds, I was a wreck…he brought me to his room so I could calm down. We were just going to talk…but I…I…"

"You what?"

"I kissed him," she choked out. "I kissed him, Ron. I'm so sorry…"

"That's it?"

Hermione looked up at him, shocked by his words. "What do you mean, that's it? Aren't you mad?"

"Well, of course I'm a little put-off," Ron said. "But I'm not going to throw a fit over it. Besides, we had 'broken up' by then. And it's not like you shagged the bloke. You _didn't_ shag him…right?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, we didn't shag. But I still kissed him, and I had really liked it. For a little while I wanted to get carried away and have things go further. But then I thought about you, and how much I loved you and missed you." She sniffled and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her sweater. "Then I ran and never looked back. Merlin, I was so _stupid_…"

"Hermione, you couldn't be stupid if you tried. You were sad and angry that night; you weren't thinking clearly. I'm partially to blame for that."

"No you're not. I'm just a fool."

"Hermione, listen to me." Ron put both of his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to face him directly. "Kissing Anthony…is that something you're planning to do again?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Absolutely not!"

"Then there's no issue. You kissed some guy you thought you liked after you and I had a huge row. It's not going to happen again. I'm not mad at you."

She shook her head a little. "Why are you being so nice about all of this?"

Ron shrugged. "You're my girl." He took one of his hands of her shoulder to lightly touch her cheek. "You'll always be my girl."

Hermione felt her heart flutter at his words. "Ron…"

"I love you, Hermione, and nothing's going to change that."

"Oh, Ron, I love you too!" Hermione exclaimed. She flung her arms around him and held him tight, as if she'd never let go.

"Just promise me one thing?" he asked.

She pulled away, smiling. "Anything."

"No more smooching other guys," he said, smirking. He brushed his thumb lightly across her soft lips. "These are mine."

She sealed the deal with a kiss - a deep, passionate kiss unlike any they had ever shared. It had only been a few days, but until this moment, Hermione hadn't realized just how much she had missed his kiss, his touch, and his embrace. Here, with Ron, was where she belonged. _This_ was home. All of her uncertainties about settling for someone so early in life wouldn't bother her anymore after this. Ron was her one and only, and she was going to keep it that way for the rest of her life. That she was sure of.

They laid back on the bed and cuddled for a long time. The shagging wouldn't come until later. At the moment, they wanted nothing more than to lay there in each other's arms, whispering sweet things and kissing tenderly. But when it did come, Hermione knew it would be back to the way it was supposed to be. It wouldn't be "just sex" - it would be making love. She knew that passion, that deep intimacy, would be back in full force, just the way she liked it.

Hermione tiled her head up to look at Ron. Her soft, chocolate brown eyes met his intense blue ones. She may have just fallen in love all over again.

* * *

Before breakfast the next morning, Ginny met Draco in the Room of Requirement. She was nervous, but excited. Today, they were going to let the world know that they were together and how happy they were about it.

She arrived before him, so she took a seat on the comfy couch and leaned back. She looked down at her slightly bulging belly and smiled. Her baby, Draco's baby, was in there, growing stronger each day. She placed her hand on the bump and rubbed it affectionately. She wondered what it would all be like, her life with Draco, with the baby. The baby - would it be a boy or a girl? What would he or she be like? She smiled at the thought of little boy with her flaming red hair, getting into the mischief he had undoubtedly inherited from his Uncles Fred and George. He would be a quidditch player - a chaser, just like her. Then, she imagined a little girl with Draco's platinum blonde hair. No, it wouldn't be as light as his, but blonde nonetheless. She would be smart like her father, always making good grades, but she would speak her mind at all times. Whether the baby was a boy or a girl, Ginny was convinced it would have Draco's soft, grey eyes.

"Well, isn't that a beautiful sight," Draco whispered. Ginny hadn't realized he had come in. "My girl and my child. I don't think I could ask for much more."

Ginny smiled as he approached her. "Just six more months. Hard to believe, isn't it?"

He sat down beside her. "Yeah, it is. But I can't wait for it to come." He, too, placed a hand on her belly. "I can't wait to see him. Or her." He sighed. "I hate not knowing if it's a boy or a girl. You sure you don't want to find out what it is once we're able to?"

Ginny shook her head. "I kind of want it to be a surprise."

He smiled. "Fair enough." He stood up and held out his hand. "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she said, taking his hand and standing up beside him. They kissed before walking out of the Room of Requirement hand-in-hand.

* * *

"I can't believe you were out that late," Hermione was saying to Lavender. "And off school grounds, no less! You could have gotten into serious trouble!"

"Yeah, if they were caught," Parvati said. "And they weren't, so it's not a big deal. What were you doing in Hogsmeade, anyway?"

"We just went to get some drinks in the Hog's Head," Lavender said. "I was upset about Seamus, he was mad at Hannah, and we really didn't feel like doing homework. So we left."

"Still, couldn't you have settled for pumpkin juice in the Great Hall or something? That would have been a lot less risky."

"Oh, lighten up, Hermione," Harry said with a grin. "C'mon, it's not like you and Ron never snuck out to the Shrieking Shack when you were supposed to be studying."

Hermione smacked Ron on the shoulder while Lavender, Parvati, Harry, and Luna laughed.

"You told him that?" she exclaimed, although she was laughing a bit herself.

"What?" Ron said through a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "Guys talk sometimes, too."

"But…but…" Hermione stammered, unable to come up with a snappy comeback. It was true: she gossiped with her girlfriends about almost everything. She'd be silly to assume that guys never talked about those sorts of things, too.

"But back to Terry," Parvati said. "Are you two, like, getting romantic?"

Lavender shook her head as she took a swig of her pumpkin juice. "Nah. We've both just gotten out of relationships - bad ones at that. I'm not looking to get into another one anytime soon."

"Is he?" Luna asked.

Lavender shrugged. "I doubt it. Hannah hurt him pretty bad…"

"So have you talked with Seamus yet? Officially broken things off?"

"No, not yet. I figure I'll leave him hanging for a while, toy with him a bit for a change," Lavender said with a smirk. She had decided that when the time came to finally talk to him, she'd just flat out tell him she wasn't going to see him anymore. She wouldn't let on that she knew about what Terry had seen. She'd play it off as if she had never planned on giving him another chance at all. It wouldn't hurt him nearly as much as he'd hurt her, but Lavender thought it would be a nice little snub.

"Seamus is a schmuck," Harry said. "He used to be such a good bloke; I can't believe he pulled a stunt like that. You deserve better than that, Lav."

"You'll find him eventually," Luna said. "The right one. I'm sure of it."

Lavender smiled. "Thanks, both of you."

Parvati grinned. "Uhm, speaking of love…" She gestured toward the entrance to the Great Hall. They all turned to see what she was looking at.

Ginny and Draco were walking in, holding hands, as if nothing out of the ordinary were happening. Hermione and Lavender beamed. Luna looked surprised, but truly happy. Harry smirked as if he'd known what was coming. Ron, however, would have broken his jaw on the stone floor of the hall if it could have dropped any lower.

The happy couple took a seat beside Parvati, directly across from Ron and Hermione.

"Good morning, everyone," Ginny said brightly. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is," Hermione said. "How are you, Draco?"

He looked over at Ginny before replying. A loving smile spread across his face as he did so. "Excellent," he said. "Ron, could you pass the margarine, please?"

Ron was immobile because he was too busy gawking at them with shock. Harry, still smirking, reached over and pushed the margarine toward him.

"Thank you, Harry," Draco said, as he began to spread it over his toast. "So…how's everyone doing today?"

Chatter resumed at the table, although Ron was still silent - a rarity among their group. Hermione smiled reassuringly at Ginny.

"He'll come around," she whispered.

Ginny nodded, smiling. "I know he will. After all, he doesn't have much of a choice, does he?"

They both giggled.

* * *

January flew by, and before they knew it, the first week of February had arrived. Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were in Ginny's dormitory helping her pack the last of her things. She and Draco would be leaving that day by Portkey to the flat he had purchased for them in London.

"I can't believe this is it," Lavender said. "We won't see you until June!"

"Nonsense," Ginny said. "You all can come by during the Easter holidays if you want."

"But still, it's weird," Parvati said. "It's been the four of us for a while now. Not seeing you everyday is going to take some getting used to."

Ginny nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right."

"We'll write all the time," Hermione reassured her. "Besides, I'm sure you'll want to know everything that's going on between Lavender and Terry…"

"For heaven's sake, nothing's going on!" Lavender said, rolling her eyes. "We're just friends!"

"Yeah, that's how it always starts," Parvati pointed out.

"Trust me, neither of us are looking for a relationship right now. We both just have similar experiences and it's nice to have someone to talk to about it."

"Again, that's how it always starts…"

"Fine, believe what you want," Lavender said, defeated.

"I will," Parvati said, smirking. "I still think something's going on between you two. You spend a lot of time together since that assignment from McGonagall…"

"…because we're friends…"

"…and you have a lot in common…"

"…because we've both been cheated on…"

"…and he's good looking."

"…well, I suppose…I mean…"

Ginny, Hermione, and Parvati laughed.

"So you aren't looking for anything right now," Ginny said. "Maybe something could happen down the road."

Lavender shrugged. "Maybe you're right, but I doubt it."

Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall. "Uh oh, we better get going, or you're going to miss your Portkey."

The four girls gathered the things they needed to haul downstairs. They made it down to the common room, where they handed everything off to Ron and Harry. Ginny took one last look around the common room.

"I'm really going to miss this place," Ginny said. "A lot has happened here."

Lavender put an arm around her shoulder. "So we won't be in the common room together every night. But this - the four of us - is far from over. We'll always have each other."

The four of them shared a group hug before heading down to the Entrance Hall. The Portkey was set up there and they would be meeting Draco and Luna. McGonagall and Snape would also be there to make sure the Portkey worked properly.

Luna hugged Ginny the second they arrived. "I'm going to miss you," she said. "I'll write all the time."

"Me too," Ginny said. She then proceeded to hug Harry, Ron, Parvati, Lavender, and Hermione. Ron even offered a handshake to Draco.

"Take care of her, alright?" he said. "Well, take care of both of them." As the days went by, Ron had become more comfortable with the idea of having a little niece or nephew. He was even excited about it, even though it would be a Malfoy.

Draco nodded. "I will. I promise." He turned to Ginny. "Ready, love?"

She nodded, and the pair walked toward the Portkey. It had begun to shimmer, meaning it was about ready to depart. They smiled and waved to their friends one last time before grasping the Portkey and vanishing from sight, off to begin their new life together.

Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati lingered a little while longer after everyone else had left. They all had tears threatening to fall from their eyes. They missed Ginny already.

"She'll be alright," Lavender said. "She and Draco are good for each other."

"Yeah," Parvati agreed. "Just think, in a few months, we'll have a little Malfoy to meet!"

Hermione smiled at the thought. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Ginny and Draco's baby would be absolutely beautiful.

"It's going to be great," she said. "Wonderful, even. Just think, we graduate in a few months, then we'll be out of here, too, starting our own lives."

"Scary, isn't it?" Parvati said with a smile.

"Yeah," Lavender said, "but we'll be fine."

"Yes we will," Hermione said. The three of them then left the Entrance Hall to go and enjoy the day. It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and they intended to make the most of it. No worries, no fears - just a good time with some very, very good friends.

The best.

* * *

**Author's Note (12/23/10):** To everyone who is following the story, thank you SO much for your patience! It's been a hectic couple of months for me. I really did intend for this chapter to come out much sooner, but you know how it goes...life has a sneaky habit of getting in the way. Grrr. XD

So, one more chapter, then the epilogue! I've decided to upload the epilogue separately rather than including it as a section of the last chapter (it appears that many of you would prefer it that way anyway). I really don't want to let this story go. Not only is it my first story on this site, but it's also my first multi-chapter fic. I never expected to get so many positive reviews and so many followers for it - I'm ever so humbled and grateful. Please keep reviewing! Thank you all so much! :)

One last thing - I finally got around to making a banner for this story. It's nothing fancy, but I felt like having some art to go along with the story. If you haven't seen it yet, I'd love it if you checked it out! The link to it is on my profile page. :) I hope you all have a terrific holiday season, and best wishes for a magnificent new year!


	12. Brave New World

_**Chapter 11 - Brave New World**_

When mid-July rolled around, the summer swelter was in full force. It was only ten minutes after nine in the morning, and Hermione was already breaking a sweat as she left the small flat she and Ron shared in Diagon Alley.

Though they had only been out of Hogwarts for a little over a month, Hermione and Ron had already comfortably settled in with each other. Ron began working at Fred and George's shop. Meanwhile, Hermione had taken an internship at the Ministry in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It would last until the next summer and would then evolve into a permanent career. Though she was doing well, she wasn't enjoying it as much as she thought she would. She had considered leaving for something more enjoyable, but the idea of abandoning a secure position scared her.

Clutching a small paper bag, she breezed into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The twins had hired Ron as somewhat of a company bookkeeper. Ron turned out to be very good with numbers, so he handled all of the financial details while Fred and George took care of the sales and business dealings. This was why it was unusual to see Ron behind the sales counter. He usually did his work in the back office; he rarely worked with the customers. Hermione could see, however, that he was still engaged in his typical work because he had a look of intense concentration on his face. She smiled at the sight - he was absolutely adorable when he was engrossed in something.

"Well, hello there," she said.

He looked up, startled, but smiled at the sight of his girlfriend approaching the counter.

"Hello, love," he said happily. "Miss me already? I only left our flat a half hour ago."

She shrugged. "Thought you might like this," Hermione said, holding up the bag. Since Hermione had the day off from her internship, she thought she'd surprise him with a homemade lunch. But of course, she had forgotten to give it to him before he left for work that morning.

He leaned over and kissed her as he took the bag.

"You always know how to make my day," he said, smiling. "Thanks, love."

"Where are the twins?" Hermione asked. On a typical day, one or both of them would be out there jokingly trying to convince her to let them test a new product on her.

"Well, I was going to wait to tell you this, but since you asked…" He was grinning.

Hermione was very curious now. "What?"

"They're meeting with some real estate guy today. Fred and George are looking into opening a second location in Hogsmeade."

"Really? That's great!"

"It'll be hectic for a little while, but in the long run it will really benefit the business," Ron said. "And it gets better."

"How so?"

"If everything goes according to plan, I'm going to be managing the new shop."

"Ron, that's fantastic!" Hermione said, throwing her arms around him. When she pulled back, she asked, "Really?"

He chuckled. "You sound surprised."

"No, no, it's not that," she said, playfully smacking him on the shoulder. "It's not that I don't think you can do it - I know you'll be great. I just kind of thought either Fred or George would want to take the reins of a brand new shop, you know?"

"Oh, I thought so too," Ron said. "Imagine my surprise when they offered me the job. But this one, the original, is special to them. It's their child, really. Not to mention, they live right upstairs," he added with a laugh.

Hermione smiled and touched his cheek lightly with the back of her hand. "Still, I'm so proud of you."

He blushed slightly at her words. "Thanks. But, you've got to promise to keep this a secret. Nothing is final yet, so if things fall through I don't want everyone to be disappointed."

"My lips are sealed, I promise."

"Thank you," Ron said. "So, what are you doing for the rest of the day?"

"I just have a few errands to run. Oh, and I have to stop by Gringotts. Do you have our vault key?"

"Yeah, of course. You know, we should probably get a second copy made," he said as he pulled the small golden key from his pocket.

"You're probably right. I'll ask about it when I'm there."

"Well, if you see Parvati, say hello to her for me. I haven't seen her in ages."

Hermione shook her head. "She won't be there. She's in Copenhagen right now."

"Really? I thought you said she just got back from Tokyo?"

"She did, about a week ago. But she's gone already. She has a lot of traveling to do during her training," Hermione said. Parvati had begun working for Gringotts after graduating from Hogwarts. She was in the process of becoming a curse-breaker, like Bill Weasley used to be.

"Well, she loves it, right?"

Hermione nodded. "The consistent traveling is tough at times, but she's really enjoying it."

"Think she'll stay in England permanently once her training is complete?"

"Honestly, I think she may choose to stay abroad. She kept talking about how amazing Athens was."

"Whatever makes her happy, that's all that counts," Ron said. "Oh, by the way, Harry will be stopping by our flat around noon. Will you be home by then?"

"Yeah, I should be," Hermione said. "Wouldn't he rather wait until you're home, too, though?"

Ron shrugged. "He said it was you he needed to talk to. I'm assuming it has something to do with the wedding."

"Ah, of course," Hermione said. She smiled, twisting the engagement ring on her finger. It was simple, but gorgeous - a small white opal set in a platinum band. Ron had proposed after their Hogwarts graduation. He had pulled her away from the celebration taking place in the Great Hall to their tree by the lake, the place where it all started. It had been incredibly romantic, and it would definitely be one of those stories she shared with grandchildren one day.

"Harry does take his best man duties very seriously, after all," Ron said.

Hermione laughed. "True, though he's probably getting anxious to find out when he will get to perform said duties. We really do have to set a date, Ron."

"I know. I still think sometime in the spring would be nice."

"You don't think that's too soon?"

"Hermione, we've been in love with each other for years. If anything, we're running late on the wedding," he said jokingly.

She smiled. "I suppose you're right." She glanced at her watch. "I really must get going, though. I've got a lot to do before Harry arrives."

"Alright," Ron said before kissing her forehead. "Thanks again for the lunch. I'll see you tonight. I love you."

"I love you too," Hermione said.

After she left Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, she finished her errands quicker than she thought she would. This was fine with her, because it meant she could spend the rest of the day with a good book, indoors and away from the sweltering heat. She had just curled up in her favorite armchair when she heard pounding on the front door.

She looked at the clock. 11:53. _Must be Harry,_ she thought. She figured he would have taken the Floo, but Harry had been apparating a lot ever since he became an Auror. Hermione and Ron had set it up so that only they could apparate directly into the flat.

She answered the door, and gasped when she didn't see Harry. Instead, a flustered Draco was standing in front of her, looking somewhat panicky.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, stepping aside so he could come in. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes…no…I mean, sort of," he said. "Ginny…she wanted me to come and get you."

"Oh, Draco, I could have taken the Floo to your place if she needed me. You didn't have to apparate all the way here."

"Not our place. St. Mungo's," Draco said, exasperated. "She just went into labor a few minutes ago. She's asking for you, Mione."

"Merlin's pants!" Hermione exclaimed. The baby was coming! Excitement, anxiety, and panic swarmed her body all at once. "Should I tell the others?"

"What? Oh, them. Yes, yes, of course!" Draco stammered. "But hurry, we have to go!"

Hermione quickly jotted down two letters - one to Lavender and one to Parvati. She attached one to Pigwidgeon and one to Rory, an owl given to her by the Ministry when she began her internship.

At that moment, Harry walked in through the open door. "Hermione, why's the door - oh, hello Draco. Is everything alright?"

"Harry, go get Ron at the shop and meet us at St. Mungo's," Hermione said as she opened a window to let the owls out.

"St. Mungo's!" he exclaimed. "Ginny?"

"Yes!" Hermione replied hastily. "We'll meet you there!"

As Harry bolted out of the door, Hermione grabbed Draco's hand firmly as he apparated them both to St. Mungo's.

* * *

Lavender was bored as she had lunch by herself in her small office. On a normal day, she would meet up with Hermione in the atrium and they would hang out for the hour, but Hermione had the day off.

Lavender loved her new job. She had also taken an internship at the Ministry, in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. She loved working in the same building as Hermione. Even though they were in different departments and didn't really work together much, it was nice being near a friend. Well, three friends, actually. Harry worked in the Auror office, and Terry was on the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

A knock on the door startled Lavender. It couldn't possibly be her boss, Marty. He, like Hermione, had the day off.

"Come in," she said.

Terry stepped inside. "Mind some company for lunch?"

She smiled and gestured toward the empty chair in front of her desk. "By all means."

She felt her heart flutter slightly as Terry walked into the office. She was starting to feel something for her new friend, something that wasn't purely platonic. As Parvati had said before, it was bound to happen, but Lavender would never admit it. She and Terry had become quite close over the past few months and she didn't want to complicate things. She didn't think it was necessary to mess up what they had by saying she was starting to feel something other than friendship for him. Not to mention, she wasn't sure if she was even ready for another relationship, even if it turned out that Terry did like her back. She had gotten over Seamus a while ago, but she was still skeptical to trust someone with her heart again.

As he sat down, he asked, "Where's Hermione?"

"She's off today, the lucky witch," she said with a grin. "How's your day going?"

He shook his head miserably as he unwrapped his sandwich. "We had to modify the memories of nineteen Muggles."

Lavender nearly spit out the apple juice she was drinking. "Good lord! Nineteen modifications, and on a Tuesday, no less? What happened?"

"A little seven year old in Bristol was being teased by a Muggle boy in the park, so she caused a nearby tree to start chasing him and throwing rocks."

Against her better judgment, Lavender giggled. "Sorry, I know that's not funny. But it must have been an interesting scene."

"Oh, it was, believe me. But gosh, nineteen modifications. It was so exhausting."

Lavender shrugged. "She was only seven, though. She couldn't have controlled her magic. It's not her fault."

"Yeah, I know. The worst part was that the poor girl is Muggleborn. She has no idea that she's a witch."

Lavender shook her head. "I think that's so cruel. They really should notify the families of Muggleborn children as soon as their magic begins to show so they have a better idea of how to deal with it. It isn't right that they are only told once they're able to go to Hogwarts."

Terry nodded. "I agree. Maybe you should start a department for that," he added jokingly.

"Honestly, I'm surprised they don't have one yet," Lavender said. "So how's everything else going?"

"It's alright I guess."

"Just alright?"

Terry shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just bored with the department in general, I suppose. It isn't really my thing. I only took the job because my uncle is in charge of it."

"Weird. Hermione's been feeling the same way about her work," Lavender said. "Have you thought about what you might do otherwise?"

Terry looked out the window. "I think I'd like to teach."

"At Hogwarts, you mean?"

He blushed slightly. "Yeah."

Lavender smiled. "Terry, that's nothing to be embarrassed about. I think you'd be great at that. But I thought you need to be a certain age to teach at Hogwarts?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you have to be at least twenty. But I think it's something I'd enjoy."

"Are you considering any specific subject?"

He shook his head. "Anything, really. Well, except Herbology - I was absolute rubbish at that. But other than that I liked all of my classes."

"Well then, when you're twenty, set up a meeting with Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure he'd take you. You had excellent marks."

He smiled. "Thanks."

They ate in silence for a while until Terry spoke again.

"Hey, remember when you, me, and a bunch of friends from school went to that new little pub in Diagon Alley?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes, that was a fun night! I never thought I'd see Neville have a drink, much less get a bit tipsy. It was right after graduation, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. It was a nice place, though. Apparently they've expanded it and it's a restaurant now."

"Oh, really? I hadn't heard about that."

He nodded. "Yeah. I was thinking, it'd be nice to go back…"

"Sure. We could get everyone together again."

"Well, yeah, we could do that," Terry said. "Or…"

Lavender tilted her head. "Or what?"

He looked out the window again. "Or you and I could go."

_Merlin's beard, is he asking me out?_ Lavender thought.

When she said nothing, Terry continued. "It was just an idea. We don't have to."

"Oh, no, Terry," she said quickly. "I think that would be-"

She stopped suddenly. She wanted to say it'd be lovely to go out with him on an actual date. But that would take her down the very route she wasn't certain she was ready for. Was it worth the risk?

A tapping on the office window broke the brief silence, startling them both. A small, tawny brown owl was fluttering outside with a letter attached to it's leg. Lavender immediately recognized it as Rory.

_Thanks for the save, Hermione,_ she thought.

"That's Hermione's owl," she said to Terry as she opened the window. "I'm sorry, just give me a minute."

She gave Rory a small treat before sitting back down and opening the letter. She immediately knew it was urgent - not only was it unusually short, but the scribbles were so unlike Hermione's typically precise and lovely handwriting. The letter had clearly been written in haste. It read:

_Lav,  
Come to St. Mungo's as soon as you can.  
Ginny is having the baby!  
I'm going with Draco now so I'll see you there.  
Love you.  
-Mione_

Lavender sprang from her chair, knocking it backwards in the process. Terry jumped at her sudden movements.

"Is everything alright?"

"It's Ginny. She's having the baby!" Lavender exclaimed.

"Now?"

"Yes, now! Oh my gosh, I hope she's alright…"

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Terry asked. He picked up a jar of Floo powder from the mantle and thrust it into her hands. "Get to St. Mungo's!"

"I can't! I'm supposed to be here until four!"

"Who cares? This is important," Terry said. "Besides, Marty isn't here. If anyone asks, I'll cover for you."

"Are you sure?"

Terry nodded and nudged her toward the fireplace. "Don't keep her waiting. I'm sure Ginny wants you there."

Lavender nodded hastily. "Alright." She couldn't believe that the day had finally arrived. She couldn't wait to meet Draco and Ginny's little one. She was so excited about it that she almost forgot about Terry asking her out.

She quickly turned to him. "Oh, Terry, about what we were discussing…"

He smiled, shaking his head and gesturing for her leave. "Don't worry about it. We'll talk later. Now go!"

Lavender quickly hugged him before throwing down some powder and becoming engulfed in emerald green flames.

* * *

"Miss Patil, you have an owl," a man said with a heavy accent.

"Just a moment, Viggo," Parvati mumbled. She was working on a tricky vault that had been sealed in a very clever manner, so pure concentration was key.

"I think it's an emergency," Viggo, her Danish trainer, said. "This damn owl won't stop pecking me."

Parvati rolled her eyes and continued her work on the vault. That was silly - owls never did that. The only owl she ever knew to be so impatient was Ron's owl, Pig. _Pig!_

Parvati abandoned the vault and ran over to Viggo, who was in the process of attempting to defend himself from Pig with a small book. Parvati held out her arm, and upon seeing this, Pig happily glided over to her, eager to deliver the letter. She hastily tore open the envelope as Pig flew back out the window. Her eyes widened as she read its contents.

"Viggo!" she exclaimed. "I have to get back to England! Has the Floo been fixed yet?" A rather unfortunate incident involving rebounded curse damaged the fireplace of Denmark's Gringotts and it was in the process of being repaired.

Viggo shook his head. "Not yet. Can't you apparate?"

"I could if I knew where I was going," Parvati said. "I've never been to St. Mungo's before. Is there a broom I could borrow?"

"A broom? From Copenhagen to London? You're crazy. That will take hours. What's going on, anyway?"

"My best friend is having her baby! How am I supposed to get back?"

Viggo headed for the door. "I think we may still have a Portkey set up that can get you to the British Gringotts. That's a start."

Parvati nodded eagerly, walking with him. "I can just Floo from there, or take the Knight Bus…"

"The what?"

"It's just a bus that drives around London, picking up witches and wizards who need a lift."

"Oh. That must be a blessing if you're ever stranded, then," Viggo said. They were now in a small room littered with random objects. One of them started to shimmer, then vanished from sight.

"Alright, let's see, Britain…" he muttered, walking around the room. He stopped at a broken violin. "Ah, here we go! This is the one. It won't be leaving for another hour or so, though."

"An hour!" Parvati exclaimed! "How am I supposed to wait for an hour?"

"Hey, it's either wait an hour for the Portkey, or take a four-hour or more broom ride across the North Sea. Your choice," Viggo said matter-of-factly.

"Wait, why don't I just apparate to the British Gringotts?"

Viggo glanced at his watch. "You could, but they'll be wondering why you left work early. By the time the Portkey is ready, you're shift would have been done here, so no questions will be asked."

Parvati scowled. "Fine. I'll just finish the vault, I guess."

Viggo shook his head. "After the news you just got, you won't be able to concentrate. Just relax until it's time to leave. But remember, you'll have to be back by tomorrow."

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I know. Thanks Viggo."

"Of course. I'll see you then, 9 AM sharp." He departed, leaving Parvati alone.

She sat down on the floor of the Portkey room, keeping her eyes on the violin in case it started shining early. She couldn't believe it. In a matter of hours, Ginny would be a mum. And she would be an aunt…well, honorary aunt. Parvati couldn't wait to meet the new little witch or wizard. Even more so, she couldn't wait to see all of her friends again. She'd seen them less since she began working for Gringotts. But she loved her work, and she'd be back in England permanently eventually.

Nonetheless, that night, it would be nice to be home, if only for a little while.

* * *

Beads of sweat rolled down Ginny's face as another round of excruciating contractions concluded. Draco sat at her left, holding her hand tightly. Hermione and Lavender were at her right, telling her that she was doing great and reassuring her that everything was okay.

"Where's Parvati?" Ginny asked, exasperated.

"I sent her a letter, she should be here soon," Hermione said. "It may take her a little longer to get here from Denmark, though."

"Oh, I forgot she was abroad," Ginny said. "She'll never make it."

"She wouldn't miss this," Lavender reassured her. "She'll be here."

The door opened suddenly and two healers walked in. The one who carried a clipboard spoke up.

"How are you feeling, Miss Weasley?"

"A little better," Ginny breathed. "The potions are helping somewhat." The healers had given her potions to help ease the pain, but they were only half-working.

"The contractions are coming more frequently," Draco said. "That's good, right?"

"No, not good," Ginny muttered, but she grinned slightly as she said this. "Very bad."

"It just means that the time is getting closer. When was the last set?"

"About five min-" Ginny stopped and let out a loud cry, causing Draco, Hermione, and Lavender to jump. Another contraction hit her hard.

"She's about to begin delivery," the healer said. "I'm going to need everyone to leave now."

"I'm not leaving her!" Draco exclaimed.

"Of course not," the healer said. "Everyone but the father, please proceed to the waiting area." She began to put on gloves as the other healer prepped the bassinet on the side of the room.

Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand. "We'll be in the waiting area, just outside and down the hall."

"We won't be far away," Lavender said. "You'll do great."

As the contraction subsided, Ginny said, "I love you girls."

Hermione smiled. "We love you, too." She gave Draco a hug before departing. "Good luck. Take care of her," she whispered.

"I will," he said nervously. But then he smiled. "Merlin, I'm going to be a father!"

Hermione and Lavender smiled before the healer practically pushed them out of the room and closed the door.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy," the healer said. "Do you want to cut the cord?"

He and Ginny hadn't discussed this, but Ginny took the liberty of answering for him. "Yes. Yes he would."

"Alright then. Do you have your wand with you, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco nodded, and pulled his black hawthorn wand out from his robe.

"Just set it down on the table beside you for now," the healer said. "I will tell you the proper spell when it's time. When the baby is out, do not do anything until we say it's okay. Just keep holding Miss Weasley's hand and keep her comfortable."

He nodded. "I can to that."

"Good. Now, we're going to prep her for delivery. We'll be putting up a curtain, so don't be alarmed. Stay beside her, okay?" He nodded as the healer draped a small curtain just over Ginny's belly, blocking everything from her waist down.

"Can you believe it?" she whispered, squeezing his hand tightly. "It's almost time."

"It's surreal. But I'm so happy. I love you so much, Ginny. You're going to be such a beautiful mum."

She smiled, but it faded as another contraction hit her. "I love you too," she managed to say in between the waves of pain. Draco kissed her forehead and held her hand tighter.

The healer's head appeared above the curtain. "Okay, Miss Weasley, it's time. Are you ready?"

She nodded. "Yes," she breathed.

"Okay, push…"

* * *

Covered in ash, Parvati soared through the fireplace in the reception area of St. Mungo's. It was empty except for a young, blonde-haired witch behind the front desk.

She approached the desk as she brushed the remaining dust from her robes. "Where can I find Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy?"

"What are they here for?" she asked, glancing at a long list of patient names.

"They're having a baby."

The witch smiled. "Ah, the red-haired girl? Fourth floor, room 842, next to the waiting area."

Parvati thanked the receptionist before bolting up the stairs to her right. She surprisingly didn't become winded, probably because she was too focused on Ginny at the moment. She finally came to a door labeled:

_Level Four_  
_Right: Spell Damage_  
_Left: Witches Quarters and Nursery_

Parvati burst through the door and turned left and immediately found herself in the waiting room. Everyone was there. Hermione and Ron. Luna and Harry. Lavender. Neville. Pansy Parkinson. Fred and George. Bill and a very pregnant Fleur. Charlie had even arrived from Romania. And, of course, Ginny's parents and Draco's mother were there as well. Molly and Narcissa were sitting together. They had grown close over the past few months, bonded by the fact that they were about to become grandmothers for the very first time.

"Parvati!" Hermione and Lavender exclaimed together. They ran up to her and they shared a group hug.

"What took you so long?" Lavender asked. "Hermione sent you an owl hours ago."

Parvati shook her head. "Long story. Never mind that, though. How's Ginny?"

"You're just in time," Hermione said. "The healer just kicked us out of the room. She'll have the baby any minute now."

As they sat back down, chatter resumed among the large group of Ginny's and Draco's family and friends. The only one who was missing was Percy; apparently he had a "very important meeting" that he could not miss. Parvati doubted that Ginny would mind, though - she never liked him much.

Though it seemed like hours, it had only been twenty minutes since Parvati arrived when Draco emerged in the room. He looked very tired, but he was probably tame compared to how Ginny must have looked. The room immediately fell silent as it's occupants waited with bated breath to hear the news.

Draco took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his disheveled blond hair. He beamed.

"It's a girl!"

Cheers and applause filled the room. Fred and George set of a few pink fire works and tossed pink confetti, abandoning a box labeled "blue" on an end table. Ron patted Draco on the back before Hermione flung her arms around him, followed by Parvati, Pansy, and Lavender. Harry kissed Luna on the forehead, smiling. A teary-eyed Narcissa hugged a weeping Molly. It took a couple of minutes for the room to quiet down, but when it did, Neville was the first to speak.

"So when can we go in?"

"Shouldn't be too long. I'll let you know." He couldn't stop smiling. "Merlin, she's so beautiful! I can't wait for you all to meet her!"

As Draco departed back down the hall, Hermione turned to Ron.

"A niece!" she exclaimed excitedly. "What do you think they'll name her?"

"Blimey, I don't know," he said. "Wow, a girl…" He was still in shock.

"Maybe they'll name her after someone," Lavender said.

"Of course they will. They'll name her Harriet," Harry said in a fake tone of arrogance. He held his head high, grinning. Everyone laughed.

Ten minutes later, one of the healers emerged in the waiting area.

"Okay, you can see her now, but only in small groups. Who's first?"

As eager as Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were to see Ginny and her new daughter, they all looked at Arthur, Molly, and Narcissa.

"Grandparents first," they said in unison. Everyone else nodded and muttered in agreement. The three of them smiled and the vanished into the room.

Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were now huddled together.

"We're aunties!" Parvati said excitedly.

"I still can't believe it," Lavender said. "But my, Draco sure looked happy, didn't he?"

"They're so in love," Hermione said. "Think they'll get married soon?"

"Oh, they must," Lavender said.

"It's only a matter of time," Parvati agreed. "Speaking of which, have you and Ron set a date yet, Hermione?"

"Well, Ron's thinking sometime this spring, but doesn't that seem too soon?"

"No!" they both said.

"Really?"

"Hermione, it took you two long enough to get engaged," Parvati pointed out. "A wedding is long overdue."

"She's right," Lavender chimed in. "We're tired of waiting." The three of them laughed.

About fifteen minutes later, the grandparents emerged from the room, looking truly happy. Arthur gestured to Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati.

"She's asking for the three of you," he said.

The girls smiled and stood up. George jokingly said, "What? She doesn't want to see us first? We're her brothers!"

"Ah," Hermione said, "but we're her _sisters_."

"Very true," Lavender agreed.

"C'mon, let's go," Parvati said. The three of them eagerly proceeded down the hall.

* * *

Ginny was propped up comfortably, cradling the tiny witch in her arms. Draco sat on the edge of the bed beside her and gazed down at his daughter.

"She's so beautiful, Ginny," Draco said.

Indeed she was. The baby had light wisps of blonde hair, which both he and Ginny assumed would darken later on. Draco was convinced it would turn red sometime in her early years. It was obvious that she would grow up looking like her mother, but her eyes were unmistakably Draco's. There were the same shade of grey, and they even had the same twinkle as his.

The door opened, and an excited Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati entered.

"Oh my goodness!" they all exclaimed as they approached the bed.

Draco looked at Ginny. "Would you like to do the honors?"

She smiled an nodded. "Ladies," she began, "I'd like you to meet Scarlett Rose Malfoy."

"Oh, Ginny, that's a beautiful name," Lavender said in awe.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Hermione said. She looked down at Scarlett. "Just look at that button nose!"

"Oh, and look! She has your eyes, Draco!" Parvati exclaimed.

"Yes, she does," Ginny whispered. "They're gorgeous."

"How are you feeling, Gin?"

Ginny sighed in content. "Much better. They gave me some more potions so I'm feeling pretty good." She looked down at her daughter with love in her eyes. "But nothing makes me feel better than this little girl."

They all spent a fair bit of time swooning over Scarlett until there was a knock at the door. Fred poked his head in.

"I know we're only supposed to visit in small groups," he said, "but we feel like we've been _very_ patient. May we please come in?"

Lavender glanced at the clock. "Merlin! We've been in here for a half hour! Sorry, Fred!"

"Apology accepted. Now scram!" he said with a laugh.

"We'll be back later, Gin," Parvati said. "Promise."

"Oh, I'll be awake, I'm sure." She looked down at Scarlett, who let out a small yawn. "Can't guarantee the same for this one, though!"

Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati laughed. As they exited the room, the rest of the Weasleys piled in along with Harry, Luna, Pansy, and Neville. Apparently everyone forgot about the small group rule, but since Ginny was feeling fine, it probably didn't matter anymore. The girls headed up to the fifth floor where they each ordered a cup of tea at the visitors café.

"So, have you met anyone special abroad yet, Parvati?" Lavender asked.

"Of course. Lots of remarkable people. But no one dateable," she said. "There's too much work to be done to focus on a relationship, anyway."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Parvati Patil?" Lavender said jokingly.

"I know. Very unlike me, isn't it?" Parvati laughed. "But I'm trying to focus on me right now. How about you, Lav? Anyone new we should be aware of?"

"Well, no one new…" her voice trailed off.

Hermione smirked. "You like Terry, don't you?"

"I…well I mean…I suppose…"

Parvati laughed. "I knew it! I _knew_ you two would get together!"

"Well, we're not together, technically," Lavender said.

"What do you mean, 'technically?'"

Lavender smiled excitedly. "Well, just this afternoon, he asked-"

"Hey, Lavender!"

Lavender, startled, looked up for the source of the voice. She nearly choked on her tea as she saw Terry approaching. Hermione and Parvati smirked.

"Terry, hello," Lavender said, trying to hide her flustered state. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Ginny, of course," he said as he sat in one of the vacant chairs at the table. "The room's a bit crowded at the moment, though. How's she doing?"

"She's great," Parvati said.

"And the baby?"

"Beautiful and healthy," Lavender said with a smile. "A girl. Scarlett Rose."

"That's a pretty name!" Terry said. "Oh, hey, Anthony!" Terry said, waving and looking above Parvati's head.

Hermione froze as she saw Anthony Goldstein approaching their table. The two of them had remained on friendly terms for the remainder of their seventh year for the sake of prefect rounds, but she had not seen or spoke with him since graduation. They never truly regained the friendship they once had, and while this saddened her, she figured it was probably for the best. But she had to admit she missed talking with him about books, work, and the like.

He stopped at their table, but did not sit down. "Hey, Terry. And…wow, hello everyone! What are all of you doing here?"

"We're here for Ginny," Terry said.

"Ginny Weasley? Merlin, is she alright? What happened?"

Parvati smiled. "She's fine. She just had the baby."

"Baby?" he asked, but then it clicked in his head. "Oh, right. I forgot about that. I thought she may have been injured or something. Thank goodness she's alright."

"Sit down, mate," Terry said, gesturing to the chair across from him. "You look exhausted."

"Ah, I'd love to, but I must be getting back, I'm afraid," he said. "We just got three kids in with dragon pox."

"Oh, you're a healer?" Lavender asked. Hermione, too, was surprised. She hadn't noticed until now that he was wearing the dark purple robes worn by the St. Mungo's healers. "I didn't know that!"

He nodded. "Second floor. It's great work, but we're incredibly short handed right now, and that's a recipe for chaos when we're dealing with the contagious stuff."

Terry joked, "You should recruit Hermione and myself. We're not too thrilled with the Ministry."

Anthony laughed. "You, a healer? You're not patient enough."

"Oh, I know," Terry said. "Well, it was good to see you, mate. See you around?"

"Absolutely," he said. "Have a good night, ladies," he addressed the three girls. His eyes lingered on Hermione briefly before he exited the teashop to tend to the three sick children.

Hermione let out a deep breath and looked down. "Well, if that doesn't qualify for awkward, I don't know what does."

"Oh, Hermione, you two fixed things, didn't you?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah, but still…"

"Don't worry, Hermione," Terry chimed in. "He doesn't think badly about you at all. He understands."

Hermione gaped at him. "Anthony told you what happened?"

Terry shrugged. "We were just moping around the Ravenclaw common room one night. I needed to vent about Hannah, and he was upset about what had happened with you, so it just helped to talk to each other about everything."

"And he was fine in a matter of days?" Parvati asked. "I doubt that."

"No, I casually mentioned it a month or so ago, just to see how he was holding up," Terry said. "And he's fine, really. He's gotten over it. He doesn't think badly of you, Hermione. I hope you don't think that of him."

Hermione shook her head. "No, no, of course not. I just thought he'd think…well, you know…that I…well…"

Terry laughed. "That you were an awful person? No, he doesn't. Trust me." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Merlin, is that the time? Sorry, ladies, I have to get going. I have to be in the office early tomorrow." He stood up and pulled a small teddy bear with a white ribbon around its neck from his robe pocket. With a flick of his wand, the ribbon turned pink, and he handed it to Lavender. "Will you give this to Ginny for me? Give her, Draco, and Scarlett my best."

Lavender smiled and took the bear. "I will."

"Thanks. Well, I must be off. Hermione, Lavender, I'll see you two at the Ministry tomorrow. And it was good to see you, Parvati. It's been too long."

Parvati nodded. "Agreed. I'll get to be here more often eventually, I hope."

Terry smiled and headed for the exit of the tea shop. Suddenly, and without really thinking about what she was doing, Lavender stood up and called his name.

"Terry!"

He spun around and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"About what you were saying earlier, I, well…" she took a deep breath and smiled. _It's now or never,_ she thought. "I would love to go out with you some time."

His eyes widened. "Really?"

She bit her lip. "Really."

"Wow," he said quietly, blushing, then he grinned. "That's…wow, that's great! We'll talk about it more tomorrow, then."

She nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."

Terry beamed, and allowed his eyes to linger on Lavender for a couple more seconds before he turned around and left the teashop.

Lavender sat back down, and laughed when she saw Hermione and Parvati gaping at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You didn't tell us he asked you out!" Parvati exclaimed.

"Well, I was about to before he showed up," Lavender defended herself.

Hermione waved it off as if it were nothing. "That doesn't matter now. Merlin, Lavender, you've got a date with Terry!"

"Yeah, I know…wow."

Hermione eyed her curiously. "What's wrong?"

Lavender shrugged. "I don't know. I was trying to avoid this."

"Why?" Parvati asked. "He likes you and you like him, so what's the problem?"

"Well, it's just…you know, after Seamus…"

Parvati shook her head. "Don't think like that, Lav. Seamus was a prick, Terry isn't. Besides, he went through the same troubles with Hannah as you did with Seamus."

"Yeah, so?"

"So," Hermione said, "he knows how it feels to be hurt like that. Who better to try out a new relationship with than someone who's been down that very same road?"

Lavender thought about this, then smiled. It made sense, and she knew Parvati and Hermione were right. Terry wasn't like that. She could trust him. Given, she had been wrong about trusting Seamus, but even when she was dating him she had some doubts that she stupidly ignored. She didn't have any doubts with Terry. He was all heart - this she sure of without question.

She giggled. "Oh my, what am I going to wear?"

Parvati laughed. "_Now_ you're talking like the Lavender I know."

"Let's go talk to Ginny about it," Hermione said. "We wouldn't want to leave her out. Besides, we should be getting back down there, anyway. It's getting late."

Lavender and Parvati agreed, and the three of them left the teashop to return to Ginny's room.

* * *

Ginny watched with a smile as Draco walked slowly around the room. He cradled his sleeping daughter in his arms and gazed down at her little face poking out from the blankets that swaddled her body.

"How can you love someone so much when you've just met her?" he whispered to Ginny, though he never took his eyes off of Scarlett.

Ginny sighed happily. "Because she's yours, and she's a part of you."

"And you," Draco said. "She's both of ours." He looked up at her now. "Thank you so much, Ginny."

"For what?"

"For this. For you, for Scarlett, for everything. With all that's happened in the past few years, I never thought I'd be able to have a family of my own to love. Now I do."

Ginny looked lovingly at Draco. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her. "May I ask you something?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Will you marry me?"

Ginny gasped. She hadn't expected that at all. She had been too preoccupied with the arrival of Scarlett to even think about Draco and herself.

Draco sensed her surprise, so he continued. "I know it's kind of sudden. I was planning to ask you once we settled in with Scarlett, so I don't have a ring to give you yet. But right now just seems…I don't know. I just had to ask. If you don't want to answer, it's-"

"Of course I want to answer!" Ginny said, beaming. "My answer is yes! Of course I'll marry you!" She leaned in gently as to not crush Scarlett between their bodies, and kissed him.

When they broke apart, Draco smiled. "I love you, Ginny. I'll always love you."

"And I love you, Draco."

"We don't have to get married right away. We can wait a while if you want."

"Sooner rather than later," Ginny said happily. "We live together. We have a daughter. We're in love. We might as well make it official, right?"

He smiled. "Sounds good to me. Let's keep it a secret for now, though, until we said a date. And until I get you a ring."

A soft knock on the door startled them.

"It's probably the girls," Ginny said. "They said they'd be coming back. Would you mind letting them in?"

"Sure thing. I'll let the four of you talk," Draco said. He looked down at the bundle in his arms. "I'm going to take this little princess for a walk."

Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati smiled at the sight of Draco and Scarlett when the door opened.

"You three go on in," he whispered. "I'll be back later." He kissed Scarlett lightly before proceeding down the hall.

Ginny smiled at the sight of her friends. "I was wondering when you'd all be back."

Parvati smirked as she took a seat in the chair that had been claimed by Draco for most of the day. "Sorry. We tried to get back sooner, but Lavender was holding us up because she was making date plans with Terry." She was promptly hit in the head with a pillow, courtesy of Lavender.

"What!" Ginny exclaimed. "You two are a couple now?"

"No," Lavender replied, smiling, "but we're getting there…I think."

"Oh, you are," Hermione said to Lavender. "You know it."

"I'm never having a baby again," Ginny said. "I miss out on everything!"

Parvati laughed. "Don't worry. I have no info to share on my front."

"No one special abroad?"

"Not abroad, not here, and I'm actually okay with it."

"So there hasn't been anyone since that mystery guy you still won't tell us about," Lavender said.

Parvati tried to play innocent. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, hush, Par, you know exactly what she's talking about," Hermione said, giggling. "Come on, we aren't at Hogwarts anymore, so what's the big deal? Who was the guy?"

Parvati raised an eyebrow and looked at Ginny. Ginny shrugged, then nodded.

"You might as well," she said.

Parvati sighed. "Alright. His name was Ezra."

Hermione looked taken aback. "Ezra? The only Ezra I can think of is that third year from Slytherin who was always causing trouble."

Parvati laughed. "No, it wasn't him."

"What was his last name, then?" Lavender asked.

She took a deep breath. "Flaherty." She was rather surprised that Hermione and Lavender didn't break their jaws, because they dropped so low that they practically hit the floor.

"But…but he's…but…" Hermione stammered.

"Wow, Hermione's at a loss of words," Ginny said with a smirk.

"…but he's a _teacher!_" Hermione exclaimed.

Parvati shrugged.

"Parvati!" Lavender exclaimed. "You dated a _teacher_?_"_

"No, we weren't dating. Just hanging out and…stuff."

"Stuff? Oh no, you don't mean you…"

Parvati nodded.

"Parvati!"

"It's not as bad as it sounds," she defended herself. "He actually taught me a lot."

"He shouldn't have been teaching you anything other than Ancient Runes," Hermione remarked.

"No, really. If it wasn't for him, I'd still be as miserable as I was back in September. He really did teach me a lot about myself and how to make my life better. He helped me realize so much."

"Is that where this 'I'm going to focus on me' thing is coming from?" Lavender asked.

Parvati nodded. "Kind of, yeah."

"Well, good," she said. "At least someone could knock some sense into that stubborn head of yours."

Parvati laughed and threw back the pillow that had been aimed at her a few minutes before.

"So, you're really taking this seriously, then?" Ginny asked. "You're not going to go looking for that special guy right away?"

"Nah," Parvati said. "It'll happen when it's supposed to."

"Yes, it will. I'm sure of it. Love can take us all by surprise," Lavender said. "I mean, take me as an example. If you had talked to me last July, I never would have guessed that in a year's time I'd be falling for Terry Boot. I barely even knew him then."

"Same goes for me," Ginny said. "People always thought I'd end up with Harry. I never in a million years would have anticipated falling in love with Draco. Now we have a daughter."

"Well, I can't say much," Hermione laughed. "For me, it's always been Ron. Even when I was stupid enough to think even for a second that it wasn't."

"Hermione, it's been the two of you since you told him he had dirt on his nose," Ginny said with a grin.

"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, though she was giggling. She hadn't forgotten how her heart fluttered the first time she saw that red-headed boy on the Hogwarts Express.

Lavender leaned back in her chair and shook her head. "Gosh, when did this happen?"

"What do you mean?" Parvati asked.

Lavender sighed, but smiled. "When did we all grow up? I mean, think about it. Back in September, we would sit around in the Gryffindor common room, giggling and gossiping about boys. Now look at us. Hermione, you're engaged. And Gin, you're a mother. Parvati, you've changed your outlook on life so much. And me, well…I'm finally becoming a stronger person."

Hermione smiled. "And we're all fine."

Parvati nodded. "We're luckier then most, though."

"How do you figure?"

"Well, for you three, at least, you have someone special in your lives that you know will stick around."

"Well, Terry and I aren't official yet," Lavender said.

"You know you will be," Ginny said, smiling. "It's bound to happen." Lavender blushed, but she smiled, too.

Parvati continued, "But the best thing is that we have each other."

"Yeah, we do," Ginny agreed. "And we always will."

"You know all that stuff that happened this past year, with us keeping things hidden from each other?" Hermione asked.

When everyone nodded, she continued with a grin. "Let's never let that happen again."

They all laughed, and stayed true to their word. The four of them spent the next hour catching up with each other. Ginny ended up not being able to keep her engagement to Draco a secret, much to the delight of the others. Lavender and Parvati agreed that what Anthony said earlier about Hermione becoming a healer wasn't such a bad idea, and the three of them convinced her to go talk to him about it. Parvati ended up sharing all of the details about the previous school year, everything from her relationship with Ezra Flaherty, her crush on Harry, and the whole reasoning behind her game with the prefects.

It was like old times.

When Draco finally returned to the room with baby Scarlett, who was now wide awake and hungry, Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati agreed that it was time to return to their respective homes: Hermione to Diagon Alley, Lavender to her flat in Hogsmeade, and Parvati to her temporary housing in Copenhagen. The following day, life would go on as usual. What Lavender had said was true; they were grown up now. They had responsibilities and obligations, and they wouldn't always be able to spend as much time with each other as they liked. But regardless of this, the four of them would always be friends. They could always take comfort in the fact that no matter what life threw their way, they could always turn to one another for help, support, a shoulder to cry on, or a heart to laugh with. Through all of the joy, heartache, tragedy, and comedy of life, they would always, _always,_ be the Gryffindor Girls.

And that would never change.

* * *

**Author's Note (02/02/2011):** So I technically could leave it at that, but...nah! I promised you all an Epilogue, and an Epilogue you shall get! :) Besides, I have such a clear picture of what happens to all of the girls in the coming years, and it would be a shame to not share it all with you! xx


	13. Gryffindor Women: The Epilogue

_**Chapter 12 - Gryffindor Women (The Epilogue)**_

_-September 24, 2005-  
Seven Years Later…_

It was a Saturday afternoon, and a beautiful one at that. Summer was blending into autumn as the sun shined and a delightful breeze blew lightly. They could not have asked for a more perfect day for such a wonderful occasion.

Hermione walked across the fading green grass with Ginny, her eggplant purple dress fluttering around her ankles. She looked stunning. She had left her hair down, though with some nifty spell work, she managed to tame her wild curls so they looked sleek and shiny without losing their body and bounce. Her wedding and engagement rings glittered on her finger in the sunlight. Ginny looked equally as gorgeous. She wore an emerald green dress, which matched perfectly with the two stones she had added to her necklace when the twins were born four years prior. She had since cut her hair to shoulder length, which gave her a more sophisticated look, and she had pushed it back with a small white flower.

The pair admired the scene before them. The arch which their two friends would soon wed beneath had been elegantly crafted with blue, yellow, and purple roses and silk ribbons to match. It would be a small wedding. There were five rows with eight chairs each, separated down the middle by an aisle made of royal blue velvet leading to the altar, which the bride would soon be walking down.

"It's about time, don't you think?" Ginny asked, smiling.

Hermione smiled, too. "Absolutely. They've been together for…what is it now? A little more than four years?"

Ginny nodded. "Ever since Nirvana was born."

"Do you think they would have gotten together if it hadn't been for her?"

"I'm sure they would have. It may have just taken them a little longer."

"Whether they would have ever gotten married is another story," Hermione laughed. "Nirvana practically _begged_ them!"

Ginny pointed into the distance. "Oh look, here she comes now!"

As if on cue, Nirvana bolted out the back door of the house and was running toward Hermione and Ginny. She was wearing the prettiest violet dress and was carrying a small woven basket filled with roses of the same color. She would be the flower girl today.

The little four-year-old was beaming once she reached them. "Auntie Hermione! Auntie Ginny! Guess what?"

"What?"

"My momma and daddy are getting married today! And you know what else?"

Hermione smiled down at the spirited girl. "What else?"

She held up her basket proudly. "I'm the flower girl!"

"Yes, you are!" Ginny said. "And you're a very pretty flower girl!"

"Auntie Ginny, you and Uncle Draco are married, right?"

"We are. We have been for seven years."

Nirvana turned toward Hermione. "And you and Uncle Ron are, too?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. And now your mum and dad will be, too."

"Good," Nirvana said with a satisfied smile. "Auntie Lavender said it's almost time for my mum to walk down the aisle, so we should all get ready!"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Hermione said. "You better get back to her, then. You'll be leading the procession, little princess!"

Nirvana smiled and giggled, then ran off back to the house, her ink black hair flying behind her like a cape. With the exception of the light skin tone she had inherited from her father, Nirvana looked exactly like Parvati.

"We better get the kids," Ginny said. "We know how long it takes for them to settle down."

Together, Hermione and Ginny walked to the front yard of Parvati's parents house, and smiled at the sight of all the children playing together. There didn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to their game. They were laughing, running, and chasing each other all across the lawn and around the surrounding trees, clearly burning off much of their pent-up energy. Only Parvati's children were absent. As they would be on the altar with their parents today, they were inside the house getting ready.

"Kids, come along!" Hermione said to the group, though she did not want to disrupt their happy playtime. "It's time to go to our seats!"

They all obliged excitedly, as this would be the first wedding most of them would attend. As Hermione and Ginny were following the enthusiastic children that were now gallivanting to the backyard, they heard a voice behind them.

"Oh, thank goodness, we haven't missed it!"

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. He was approaching with Luna and their two-year-old son, Devon, who was walking fast on his little legs to keep up with his parents. Devon was the spitting image of Harry, especially in a similar-looking tuxedo. Luna was wearing dress made of a floaty, sunshine yellow material. She had a small baby bump, and she was glowing. Hermione and Ginny embraced them both.

"Sorry we're late," Luna said. She reached down and smoothed Devon's unruly black hair. "This little guy threw a fuss when we had to put his suit on. He dreads getting dressed up!"

"Sounds like someone else I know," Hermione said with a smirk, glaring at Harry.

Harry huffed. "I don't _hate _it. I actually think I look quite spiffy, don't you?" He winked.

"Yes, absolutely marvelous," Ginny laughed, rolling her eyes. "We better get to the backyard, though, or we really will miss it."

As the group turned around to go to their seats, Lavender appeared on the front porch.

"Hermione! Ginny! Could you come here for a minute?" she called.

"You two go on," Luna said. "We'll see you back there."

As Harry, Luna, and Devon proceeded to the backyard, Hermione and Ginny made their way to the front door of the Patils' house. Once inside the sitting room, they both gasped.

There stood Parvati, looking like a queen. Her shiny, black hair, which fell to the middle of her back, had been left down in soft curls, and her head was crowned with the golden tiara her mother had worn when she got married. Her ivory dress was adorned with hundreds of gold accents that glimmered every time she moved. Her jewelry was simple: gold to match her dress, but nothing too gaudy. She was absolutely beautiful.

"Doesn't my momma look pretty?" Nirvana said, beaming. "I even helped pick out the dress!"

"Well, you did an excellent job!" Ginny said to the girl. She then looked at the bride. "Par, you look amazing!"

Parvati blushed. "Thanks." She looked at her daughter. "Nirvana, would you go get Adrian? It's almost time."

Nirvana ran down the hallway, calling to her little brother.

"Okay," Lavender said, "since I'll be holding Liam, would one of you mind taking Roland? It would just be for the ceremony."

"Oh, absolutely!" Hermione said. Lavender placed the fifteen-month-old boy into Hermione's outstretched arms. Hermione gave the handsome, rosy-faced child a kiss on the cheek before having him sit on her hip with one of her arms beneath his thighs for support. Lavender then proceeded to pick up Liam, who was asleep. Lavender was the maid of honor today, and instead of holding a bouquet of flowers, she would be holding Parvati's youngest son, who had been born in August of the previous year.

"Okay, it's nearly time!" Lavender said with a hint of giddiness in her voice. "I'll see you two out there!"

Hermione and Ginny gave their farewells to Parvati and Lavender, who was now calling for Nirvana and Adrian, and headed out to the backyard. The rows were nearly full now, though their husbands had saved them seats.

As Ginny took her seat beside Draco, Hermione sat down beside Ron and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You don't mind if I hold Roland on my lap during the ceremony, do you?"

Ron chuckled. "Of course I don't mind. I kind of miss having little ones around, actually."

"No more kids," Hermione replied with a laugh. "We have our hands full with the ones we've got!"

"True," Ron said. "But they're absolutely darlings."

Hermione nodded in agreement, and together they looked over at the section of chairs across the aisle from them. All of the children had opted to sit together. If they were trouble-makers, perhaps there would have been some objections from their parents, but they were all well-behaved, especially on a day they knew was so important. Hermione and Ron's daughter and son were among them, whispering excitedly with their friends and cousins about the wedding. The proud parents smiled at the sight.

Music began to play, and the groom and best man emerged on the altar beneath the arch. All of the wedding guests quieted down and turned to face the back door of the house, which the bride would soon be emerging from.

Nirvana and Adrian came out first. Nirvana was so excited and was practically skipping down the aisle as she took rose petals from her basket and dropped them along the blue carpet that led to the altar. Adrian had to walk a little faster to keep up with his sister, but he still looked very proud. He handled the pillow which held the two wedding rings with special care.

Then, Lavender emerged from the house. Her dress was very flattering and made of a sapphire blue satin. Her wavy blonde hair danced around her shoulders as she walked. Baby Liam was still peacefully asleep in her arms. At first, both Hermione and Ginny thought it was strange that Parvati had not chosen Padma to be her maid of honor, but her choice actually made sense in the long run. Even though Padma was her sister by blood, Parvati had always been closer to Lavender.

Finally, the beautiful Parvati stepped out. Everyone gasped at how lovely she looked. Parvati smiled at everyone as she passed them, but in the end, her eyes fell on the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Hermione glanced back at the groom. She had never seen so much love in a person's eyes. Except Ron's, of course.

When Parvati arrived beneath the arch of roses, her groom took her hand in his, and they stood facing each other. Hermione saw them mouth the words 'I love you' to each other before the little wizard from the Ministry, whose name was Mr. Garland, appeared between them. He was a tiny old man, and reminded Hermione and Ginny of Professor Flitwick.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" he began.

And so the ceremony went. Mr. Garland gave the traditional speech, and a pair of doves draped scarves made of roses upon the bride and groom's shoulders. And then the important moment came.

"May I have the rings?"

Adrian proudly stood up, ring pillow in his outstretched hands. He walked over to Mr. Garland, stumbling a bit as he did so. Parvati smiled at her son, her middle child. He beamed back with pride.

Mr. Garland took the larger of the two rings and handed it to Parvati. She gazed into her groom's eyes.

"Do you, Parvati Anne Patil, take Anthony William Goldstein to be your beloved husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in both sorrow and joy, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Her eyes glistened with tears of happiness and she slid the ring onto his finger.

Mr. Garland then gave Anthony the smaller ring.

"Do you, Anthony William Goldstein, take Parvati Anne Patil to be your beloved wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in both sorrow and joy, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Anthony said, smiling at Parvati as he slipped the golden ring onto her slender finger.

"Miss Patil, Mr. Goldstein, please take out your wands for the magical bonding."

Parvati and Anthony held out their wands as Mr. Garland performed a spell. Gold ribbons emerged from their tips of their wands, and when they touched, thousands of gold and silver glittery hearts erupted from the ribbon, coming back down upon the bride and groom like confetti before vanishing.

Mr. Garland beamed. "Your wands have been magically bonded in matrimony, and you have both exchanged vows of eternal love. By the power invested in me by the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain and Ireland, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He turned to Anthony. "You may kiss the bride!"

Anthony didn't waste any time. He swooped Parvati up into his arms and kissed her right on the mouth. The adults in the crowd cheered, while all of the children covered their eyes and made faces. Hermione and Ginny laughed at this.

Mr. Garland addressed the wedding guests, "And now, may I present to you for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Goldstein!"

Hermione and Ginny cried tears of joy as they kissed their respective husbands in celebration. Lavender, who also had tears in her eyes, smiled lovingly at Terry, her husband and the best man, who stood on the opposite side of the alter beside Anthony. Baby Liam had woken up due to the cheers and whooping, and he cooed delightfully in Lavender's arms.

Parvati and Anthony broke apart and smiled brightly as they stepped off the alter, arm-in-arm. They walked beneath the rose arch to the blue aisle and waved at the wedding guests as they passed them. Lavender and Terry followed, his arm around her shoulders while she gently bounced Liam. Then, Nirvana and Adrian left the alter, walking fast to keep up with the adults.

A magnificent party followed. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Draco shared a table with Lavender, Terry, Luna, and Harry. Parvati and Anthony were busy making their rounds, greeting everyone and thanking them for attending. Roland was now sitting in Lavender's lap, while Liam had been claimed by his Aunt Padma. After dinner, the children who could walk three steps without falling had all returned to the front yard to play, as sitting still was certainly not their favorite activity. With their flower girl and ring bearer duties fulfilled, Nirvana and Adrian could even join in the fun this time around.

"My, that was a lovely wedding, wasn't it?" Luna said dreamily.

"It was," Draco agreed. "It's kind of a shame that this was the last one for a while."

This was true, but Hermione could not help but feel blessed. Though Parvati and Anthony were the last to get married, the years leading up to this day had been filled with so many happy memories: weddings and children, promotions and travels, and everything in between. In the aftermath of such a beautiful celebration of love, Hermione could not help but reminisce about the last seven years.

Ginny and Draco had been the first to wed. After he proposed to her the night Scarlett Rose was born, they planned their wedding rather quickly. They had married three months later in October of 1998 in the yard of the Burrow. It had been a small wedding, with just family and close friends in attendance. Hermione was the maid of honor. Like Lavender held Parvati's baby today, Hermione had cradled three-month-old Scarlett as Ginny and Draco exchanged promises of love beneath a cloudless blue sky and orange trees.

She and Ron were the next to marry. As Ron had desired, it took place the following spring on a cool, sunny Saturday in April. Hermione had wanted members of her family to be able to attend, so they held the ceremony at her parents' house in Oxford. Their wedding combined both wizarding and Muggle traditions, including the ever-popular bouquet toss. It was appropriate that Lavender caught the bunch of flowers that Hermione threw, because Terry ended up proposing to her the following month.

Hermione and Ron spent the week following their wedding in the French Riviera for their honeymoon. Overwhelmed with passion for each other, they slipped and forgot the contraception charm one night. Three weeks after returning home to England, Hermione learned she was pregnant. While the pregnancy wasn't planned, both she and Ron were ecstatic. After spending so much time with Scarlett, who was growing far too fast for everyone's liking, Hermione and Ron were so excited to have a baby of their own. In January of 2000, their daughter, Aubrey Elizabeth, was born. She was perfect in every way, and now Scarlett had a cousin she could eventually play with.

A little over a year after they became engaged, Lavender and Terry tied the knot that June. Their ceremony had been at Terry's parents' home on the sea coast in Kent. It was the perfect location for an early summer wedding. With the rising temperatures the month brought, the sea breeze was warmly welcomed by all in attendance. Parvati, of course, had been Lavender's maid of honor, and Terry had selected Anthony as his best man, and that was how everything between the two of them got started.

During the years between Hogwarts and Lavender and Terry's wedding, both Parvati and Anthony had completely engrossed themselves in their work. After completing her training, Parvati took a permanent position as a curse-breaker in Athens, though she still visited her friends and family in England as often as she could. Meanwhile, Anthony stayed at St. Mungo's, but relocated to the ground floor where he dealt with magical accidents rather than contagious diseases. After the events that happened during their seventh year and the realizations they had come to, both of them had decided not to make dating and relationships a priority, and instead focused on making themselves happy and productive. However, during the aftermath of the wedding of their best friends, the two of them had allowed themselves to submit to impulsive feelings, something neither had done in a very long time. Their daughter was the result.

At first, Parvati intended to raise the baby herself and not to tell Anthony about the pregnancy. The two of them had only spent the one night together, and Parvati did not want to risk the rejection of both herself and her unborn child. However, she did tell Lavender, who could not help but tell Terry, who accidentally let the news slip to Anthony. To Parvati's surprise, when she was three months along, Anthony showed up at her home in Athens, saying that even though they weren't together, he still wanted to help and be part of the child's life. He visited Parvati as often as he could. Naturally, they bonded over the pregnancy. When they began to develop feelings toward one another, they did not admit it right away. However, they both agreed that they wanted their baby to grow up close to family and friends, so Parvati returned to England that fall and took a desk job at the Gringotts in Diagon Alley.

Sure enough, it wasn't long after Parvati became pregnant that Ginny found out she was, too. Four months later, so was Lavender. And when Aubrey turned a year old, just a little over a month before Nirvana was born, Hermione, too, learned that she was with child again. In 2001 alone, they all had five new bundles of life to celebrate.

Parvati gave birth to Nirvana June that March. Anthony, of course, was there for the delivery. When they both looked into the eyes of their little girl, they were in love with her instantly. They both wanted to be around her all the time, so Parvati and Anthony moved in together. Their feelings for each other blossomed into love, and neither of them could hide it anymore. They both confessed what they felt for each other, and they became an official couple.

Two months later, in May, Ginny and Draco welcomed their twin boys, Elijah Ray and Padraig John. They were not identical, but they were both beautiful beyond belief. Elijah, like his older sister Scarlett, had inherited Draco's grey eyes, while Padraig's were a bright, sky blue, which most likely came from the Weasley side of the family. Almost immediately after they were born, Draco had two emeralds added to the heart pendant of the necklace he had given to Ginny nearly four years before. Their family was now complete.

Sierra Grace, Lavender and Terry's daughter, was born in August, but it had not gone as smoothly as expected. Lavender had a difficult pregnancy (she almost lost the baby twice) and was ordered by her healer to stay in bed for the last three months of it. Sierra ended up arriving a month too early; she had to be kept at St. Mungo's for two weeks after she was born, and Lavender nearly died during the complicated delivery. Both mother and daughter made it through the ordeal, but Lavender and Terry were given the dismal news that it was unlikely that they'd be able to have another child. This saddened them greatly, but they were ever so grateful and blessed to have Sierra.

Lavender's complications inevitably frightened Hermione, who was due a mere three months later in November. But it turned out that she didn't have to worry at all. Her and Ron's son, Gabriel James, arrived perfectly healthy and right on time. Aubrey, who was nearly two at the time, was thrilled to have a little brother.

Parvati and Anthony had two more children, both boys. In February 2003, a month before Nirvana's second birthday, Adrian George was born. Coincidentally, this was right around the same time Luna and Harry welcomed their son, Devon. Their second son and youngest child, Liam Perry, arrived a year and a half later.

But none of the children, not even Scarlett, were a bigger surprise than Roland. After the upsetting news they received after Sierra was born, Lavender and Terry did not expect her to become pregnant again. They loved their daughter more than anything in the world, but the two of them wanted another child so badly. So against all odds, they kept trying to conceive for nearly two years. They had just about given up hope altogether when Lavender got a sudden round of morning sickness and mood swings, and they knew their most wanted wish had come true. In June of 2004, two months before Parvati had Liam, Lavender gave birth to Roland Donovan, a perfectly healthy little boy. Their son truly completed Lavender and Terry's family, and Sierra was ever so happy to finally be able to call herself a big sister, like Scarlett, Aubrey, and Nirvana had already been able to do.

Throughout the years, several career changes had taken place as well. Hermione ended up leaving the Ministry and joining Anthony as St. Mungo's, a career she found much more satisfying and rewarding. Professor Binns had finally moved on to the afterlife, so his position of History of Magic professor was taken by Terry, who made the subject much more interesting and enjoyable. Draco, too, joined the Hogwarts staff as the Arithmancy professor after Professor Vector, amid a midlife crisis, decided to move to Argentina to become a gaucho. Fred and George did end up opening that second shop in Hogsmeade, which Ron ran proudly; it sometimes even brought in larger profits than the original in Diagon Alley. Ginny worked from home as a writer for The Quibbler. Lavender, however, stayed at the Ministry, but she had taken into consideration what Terry had suggested when the first began their internships. She now ran what was known as "The Department for Muggleborn Youths," which notified and met with the families of Muggleborn witches and wizards early on and well before they could attend Hogwarts.

As for what brought everyone together at the Patils' home today, though, was all thanks to Nirvana. When Parvati was pregnant with Liam, her daughter began questioning why her mom and dad weren't married. After all, Scarlett's, Aubrey's, and Sierra's parents all were, and she wanted hers to be, too. It had been something Parvati and Anthony had talked about on occasion, but they had never began to seriously consider it until their daughter brought it up. They finally decided to do it, and when they told Nirvana, there couldn't have been a happier girl anywhere in the world.

Now, Hermione watched with a smile as Nirvana came into view, running from the front yard with Adrian not too far behind. They ran onto the floor that the tables surrounded, where Parvati and Anthony were currently sharing their first dance as husband and wife. The newlyweds smiled as their daughter and son approached and did not mind when they threw their tiny arms around their legs, attempting to join in the dance. Hermione could see Liam sitting in his Aunt Padma's lap, smiling and giggling as if he knew exactly what was going on.

The guests were invited to join the bride and groom on the dance floor, and upon this announcement, Ron offered his hand to Hermione. Draco did the same for Ginny, as did Terry to Lavender. The three couples (and Roland, who was still being held by his mum) walked to the dance floor, where they embraced, swirled, and swayed to the music, sharing quick kisses and words of love.

After the dance, it didn't take long for Nirvana and Adrian to return to the front yard to play with their friends. As the night wore on, the crowd in the back yard grew smaller as guests decided to turn in for the evening. Harry, Luna, and Devon also left a little early as Luna was feeling sleepy due to her pregnancy. The six remaining at their table were talking and laughing when the man and woman of the hour dropped themselves down into the chairs vacated by Luna and Harry. The pair looked tired, but extremely happy. Parvati had reclaimed Liam, who was still as giggly as ever as he sat in his mother's lap. Anthony wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Well, it's about time you two showed up," Terry laughed, patting his best friend on the back. "We were beginning to think you had forgotten about us!"

"Oh, stop it, Terry," Lavender remarked with a smile. "Remember how hectic it was for our wedding? It was chaos all day long!"

"Well, that's marriage," Ron laughed. He promptly received a smirk and playful smack on the shoulder from Hermione.

"But really," Ron continued, "congratulations, both of you."

"Well, thank you, Ron," Parvati smiled. "But honestly, we wanted to come over sooner."

"Oh, I saw you both trying to sneak over here earlier," Ginny said. "But someone stopped you."

Anthony laughed. "Yeah, that was my grandmother. She wanted us to hurry up with the first dance because she was getting tired."

"Oh, mine did the same thing at our wedding!" Hermione laughed. She turned to her husband. "Remember, Ron?"

Ron nodded and chuckled. "And she ended up being one of the last to leave. Figures."

"So, are the two of you planning a honeymoon?" Draco asked the newlyweds.

"Well, not really a honeymoon, necessarily," Parvati said. "But we're thinking of bringing the kids somewhere next summer. Maybe to Australia or somewhere in the United States."

Anthony laughed. "One thing at a time, though. I'm just trying to make it through the night!" He stood up. "Anyone fancy a drink?"

"Count me in," Draco, Ron, and Terry said in unison. Their wives all rolled their eyes and laughed.

"Oh, give us a break," Draco said with a smirk. "We'll go get drinks, and you all can talk about whatever we've done in the past week that's annoyed you. Isn't that how girl talk usually works?"

Ginny shrugged. "Pretty much," she said nonchalantly.

"Gee, thanks…" Draco said with a smile, kissing Ginny on the cheek. "You're lucky I love you."

"Mm, love you too," Ginny said. "Now scram."

As the men left, Parvati asked, "You three feel like taking a walk? I need to get away from this chaos for a bit."

The four women, along with Roland and Liam, walked away from the lovely celebration that was still taking place. The night sky was freckled with thousands of glittering stars, and a nearly full moon lit their path across the lawn rather nicely.

"So, who would have thought," Hermione said with a smirk. "Our Parvati is a married woman, settled down with a family."

"Oh, shush, Mione," Parvati said, though she was smiling, too.

"Well, we were beginning to worry," Ginny said. "We didn't think you and Anthony would ever tie the knot."

"Well, Nirvana wouldn't rest until we did!" Parvati said with a laugh. "She's very stubborn, that one."

"Just like her mum," Lavender remarked with a smile.

"But she's more like Anthony than me," Parvati said.

Hermione shook her head. "I see a lot of you in her, Par. She's got the same spunk and spirit as you." She laughed as she continued. "Now, if we were talking about Aubrey, she's definitely her father's child, in both looks and personality. She's completely Ron."

Ginny laughed. "Scarlett is the same way!

"But she looks so much like you, Gin." Lavender said. "Well, except for those eyes and that strawberry blonde hair."

"True, but she really is such a Daddy's girl. Makes me kinda jealous sometimes. Sierra is so much like you, though, Lav."

Lavender smiled. "I think she looks more like Terry, though."

"For now," Hermione said. "But I think she'll grow up to look more like you."

As if some invisible force had pulled them there, the women found themselves in the front yard. They sat down on the porch; Lavender and Parvati placed Roland and Liam at their feet so the two boys could sit and play together. The four women watched their children playing, laughing, and running with each other. Scarlett and Aubrey, the oldest two of the bunch, were leading a game of tag with Nirvana, Elijah, Gabriel, and Adrian. Padraig and Sierra, however, were at the edge of the yard, apparently taking advantage of the bright moonlight by looking for four-leaf clovers in the grass. Padraig loved his twin, and Sierra adored spending time with the girls, but for some reason, the two of them deviated to each other whenever they had the opportunity. Perhaps it was because they were both shyer and quieter than the rest. Whatever the reason, Sierra and Padraig had been best friends since they could walk.

"We've done pretty well, haven't we?" Lavender asked.

Ginny nodded. "We have. I mean, just look at all of them. It's perfect."

"Do you think they'll all stay friends once they go to Hogwarts?" Parvati asked.

Hermione laughed. "Of course they will. How could they not? Look at who their mothers are."

In future years, they would find out that Hermione was absolutely correct. Their children would grow up together, creating deep friendships that would last a lifetime. However, it was the girls who would create the tightest bond. Once all of the children were at Hogwarts, it would amuse Hermione, Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati that while their sons would be scattered among Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, only their daughters would be sorted into Gryffindor.

Though Scarlett would be two years ahead of Aubrey and three years ahead of Nirvana and Sierra, they would all be like sisters during the years they are together at Hogwarts. Being in different years, they wouldn't be quite as close as their mothers were. After all, Scarlett would have her fellow prefects, Aubrey would have her quidditch teammates, Nirvana would have her friends from her healer-training classes, and Sierra would have Padraig. But despite this, they would always come to each other with their stories of success, failure, laughter, and sadness.

Perhaps what they would have most in common with their mothers is that they would always come to each other with boy troubles. During her fifth year, Scarlett would need support when it came time to tell her father she was seeing Cameron Flint, the Hufflepuff prefect from her year. Aubrey would seek advice from her friends when she began to develop feelings for Oliver Wood's son, Emerson, who would be a year ahead of her and play for their team as a beater. Nirvana would be taken completely by surprise and not know what to do when she falls for Jayson, a Muggleborn Ravenclaw in her year who also has the ambition to become a healer. As for Sierra, it would be during her fourth year when she would begin to feel something that isn't purely platonic for Padraig and would be scared to act upon it for fear of messing up their friendship.

It would certainly be curious how eerily similar their love issues would be to the ones their mothers had when they were young, but they would handle them with just as much strength and passion, if not more. Scarlett, Aubrey, Nirvana, and Sierra would become a new set of Gryffindor Girls; while they would argue and fight sometimes, they would care about one another deeply and always be there for each other.

But none of them knew any of that yet; it was still a few years down the road. For now, Hermione, Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati simply watched with pride as their energetic daughters and sons played in the autumn moonlight. Padraig had finally found a four-leaf clover for Sierra, so the two abandoned the clover patch and joined the others. They were now all playing hide and seek among the trees and bushes surrounding the Patil's property.

As the sound of the children's laughter made its way over to the porch, the four women sitting there smiled. They felt so lucky and blessed. They knew they would be able to handle whatever challenges the world threw their way. With love and happiness in their lives, nothing was impossible.

Life was beautiful.

* * *

**Author's Note (3/21/11)**: And that's a wrap! Much thanks to everyone who has been following, reading, and reviewing the story! As I've said, this is my first multi-chapter fic, and I've been continuously blown away by all of your positive support and feedback. I hope you've all enjoyed the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. As this is the true end of the story, I'd love it if all of you reviewed one last time! Tell me what you liked, didn't like...oh, what am I telling you for? You know how it works :)

Another thing I would love for you to do, if you don't mind, is to respond to the poll I've got going on. Right now, I'm currently working on another story, _The Founder of the Fate_ (and to those of you are following that one, and update is coming soon!). However, I have four different ideas for stories to begin once that one is nearly complete. I've posted brief summaries of all three of them on my profile page, and I'd love it to pieces if you voted for the one you think is the most interesting! It would be very helpful, because who wants to write a story no one cares about? :p Thanks a million!

So again, thanks to all of you! My first experience as a writer for this site has been a wonderful one, and I'm looking forward to writing more stories for it! Thank you, thank you, thank you! XD

Much love,  
ReillyJade


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